Anomaly
by Rosenkreutz
Summary: He refused to believe in reincarnation, but that was long ago, in another life, in a distinct universe. Sent in a world where the strong survives, and the weak perish, made his skin crawl. Luckily, he knows this world—he knows the board, and he knows the pieces.Time to make a move [Self Insert].
1. What

**Chapter 1: What.**

* * *

His mother was right — he shouldn't have accepted their invitation.

She's _always_ right.

He thought it would be okay to go on a boat — to try a new experience and not spend his whole life locked in his house watching videos and surfing in the web.

Unfortunately, his curiosity was the death to him.

He was sinking deeper into the ocean. His head was pounding — his lungs were screaming for fresh air. He fought until he felt his head was about to explode, he had to take a breath. It was an instinct. His body was begging for it.

He floated like the sea weed — nothing more than flesh and bones ready to decay in the currents.

He wanted to be saved.

He wanted a rescuing hand to tow him back to surface.

To be in the world he knew.

To be with his mom…

…

…

…

For some reason the pain he passed through slowly subdued, he wasn't scared anymore — it was almost peaceful actually. He quite liked it.

His legs were fatigued. He stopped struggling and began to fall. He fell further and further into the darkness until it threatened to swallow him whole.

Maybe it wasn't a good idea to explore the seas without any practice of how to swim — or at least equip a lifesaver in case an accident elapsed throughout the trip.

Yet, his pride or shame had to intervene. Twenty-years-old and he didn't know how to swim. No one knew aside from his mother. If his friends were to figure out the skeletons he had in his closet, he would have turned into the laughingstock in their group.

He didn't want to be seen as the clown of the group.

And now, he became the dumbass of the group.

…

He deserved it — he certainly did — for letting his insecurity get the best of him.

Who didn't deserve this was _his_ mother.

No mother should bury their own son. Mothers were _not_ meant to bury sons. It wasn't in the natural order of things.

Soon the oxygen deprivation took away his last thought and sunk to the bottom of the ocean. He had to wait for the divers to search and return his corpse to his mother.

But fate had something else in mind.

Warmness caressed his skin, his lifeless eyes reflecting the source of light.

Light.

It came from the endless pit of the ocean — the one he was slowly approaching.

He was getting physically mauled by — perhaps — the world's most blinding light source _ever_. But it didn't matter — it was too late now. His body was empty of fuel, not a single joint could he move. Not even to block the luminous white.

Despite of being underwater, he could feel his dull eyes burning, forcefully watching as the glow reached out for him.

Seconds passed as the light slowly neared, so close that the light was _blinding_ for the mortal eye. Shockingly it didn't affect him anymore, perhaps getting now used at the vicious glare.

Momentary, the glow embraced him — devouring him and the void beneath a frigid dawn.

He coughed like his throat was filled with broken glass, sucking all the air that his restored lungs could withstand. His heart was out of control, it jumped as if prompted by an electrical surge.

He shifted a hand to his chest, enjoying his heart bouncing strongly inside his ribcage — eyes closed.

" _Breathe in. Breathe out_ , _"_ he thought with shaky breaths, trying to remain calm by slowly breathing with his nostrils.

Slowly but surely, his heart began to loosen up — earning a relieved sigh from the owner.

"Wait…" he trailed off and hesitantly popped an eye open — only to close them once the impulsive light glared at him. Oh great. When he was floating in the middle of the ocean the light was ineffective — but now? It was like having a staring contest with the sun.

" _Where am I?"_ His inner thoughts empowered him, feeling how his body was squeezed by a ... box? A _big_ box indeed, and was perfectly shaped for his body to fit in.

He had difficulty freeing his limbs out of the crate but sooner or later — they'd taken off like a plane.

He shifted his hand over his eyes, _slowly_ opening his eyelids like all the school mornings he faced off since childhood — hissing whenever the light somehow jabbed at his stare.

With his other hand over the border, he carefully got out of his human-sized prison — eyeballs now getting used to the golden glow coming from the stained glass.

When he had succeeded getting out, he immediately stretched out his limbs, pushing any kind of soreness away from his juvenile(?) body — hardening his body and mind for the upcoming event.

He spared a wary glance at his surroundings, and drew out a quite gasp.

The room was _massive_ — definitely bigger than his room. The furniture itself resembled like stuff borrowed from the French Art Nouveau style. Certain objects shared a remarkable resemblance to French-European Christian Era. Colors of gray, silver, and brown mined with difference types of woods that he couldn't describe other than pine and oak. Flower pots with the same color scheme laid atop the stone pillars — each one of them aligned perfectly. The floor seemed to be cloaked on a _gigantic_ and _elegant_ rug — the luscious carpet was an abundance of fur sprawling around his shoes every time he took a footstep.

"Please, tell me this is _not_ a dream," his eyes darted from the religious objects to the attractive and smooth paintings. There was no way in hell that this was the house where he'd spent his whole childhood.

Unless they moved out to another house.

He sunk his brows, shaking his head at the simple thought. He spun around to see on what he was sleeping on.

When his eyes locked upon the source of his coziness — they widened in horror.

A coffin was before him.

"Please tell me this is a dream!" he snapped loudly, walking backward until his back collided with the wall, not breaking eye contact with the funerary box. While the object itself was horrifying enough — for anyone who woke up inside of a coffin, that is — it was beautifully gleaming under the moon that streamed through the stained windows. It's faux-gold handles and polished sheen helped to reduce the trauma that he almost passed through.

All in all, a beautiful sight to behold.

He stared at his palm — a greyish-pale complexion of something that was supposed to be his hand, "I had tanned skin!" he screeched, stubbornly scratching the back of his hand in hopes this was a prank that involved _a lot_ of paint, "What the hell is happening?!"

His eyes darted from place to place — desperate for answers. But they stopped once he'd noticed a painting — one that dominated the walls.

It was a family painting.

Unbeknown to him — he found himself relaxed as his legs automatically moved inched closer to the piece of art.

Once he'd stood face-to-face with the painting — his finger absentmindedly brushed over it.

It was wonderfully crafted to the point that he was doubting on whether this was a made by a brush or taken by a camera. Two grey-haired men stood behind a black-haired woman on a chair and holding close a boy who appeared to be on his teens — his hair and eyes were grey. All of them were beaming a smile.

The woman had a normal color on her skin compared to the three males who had a greyish-pale tone.

…

…

…

"Could it be…?" looking directly at the young boy in the picture then at his hand, he repeated the same process multiple times until he decided to pull a single strand of his hair, wincing at the interaction.

Pushing aside the short-lived pain, he focused on the strand of hair. It was gray in color — just like the people in the drawing.

"N-no way," he choked on his own weak laugh, "t-this must be a fucking dream or something…"

Yet, it felt _so_ real.

" **I heard someone!"**

At cue, the doors were kicked open.

And out of instinct, he spun around in shock — back against the wall.

He felt a knob tied up on his throat as multiple eyes towered him. There were a _huge_ crowd and a lot of mumbling! The worst part was that any of these faces weren't recognizable. Not his friends. Not his _family_. Not even his neighbors!

Their hair and eye color were also off-putting for a depressing place like this.

Wait. Was that a tail?!

"Holy shit…" The one with a barbed tail breathed out, slowly grinning in disbelief and joy, "Brina gonna shit herself once she sees this."

"W-what?" He croaked back, his eyes following the movements of his sharp tail. Brina? Who's Brina?

The more he looked at the man with the tail, the more he resembled at the woman at the picture — a male version of her. The same light, red eyes and black hair with streaks of red. He was wearing formal clothes.

"How was your journey in the Realm of the Dead, you shitty rat?"

To talk about death so nonchalantly. This guy was _so_ chill.

He slowly gulped, unsure on how to answer, "… realm of the dead?"

It was obvious already.

"Out of the way!" A woman shouted from the crowd and people were roughly shoved aside, "let me through!"

He then saw the woman behind all the pushing followed by a gray-haired man stand in front of the crowd.

These two were the people in the painting.

"Y-you're alive…" his mind drifted back to the real world, focusing back to the shocked mistress.

"Excuse me?" he blurted out.

"Y-You're alive… alive!" trembling like a weak leaf — tears welled up on her face, her tough attitude slowly dismantling.

In the blink of an eye, the woman _flashed_ and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a strong hug.

" _Holy shit, what a grip!"_ He grunted and felt a hand ruffling his hair — it was the gray-haired man.

"If miracles exist, this may as well be one," the man kneaded his eyes, his laugh carrying mixed emotions, "I'm… I'm just glad you're alive — Dan."

Everything now made sense to him.

He died and came back to life.

Slowly, he looked behind his shoulder to stare at the boy in the painting — at himself. At his new body. At his new family.

At his new life.

It was like looking at the mirror at this point.

"I don't wish to ruin your moment sis, Big D," the man with the barbed tail drawled, thumbing behind his shoulder, "but we gotta take Little D to a hospital — better safe than sorry."

"Good idea, Uncle Coda," 'Big D' carefully placed a hand on the shoulder of the weeping woman, "mother. I need to take Dan to — !"

"I understand," she interrupted and tightened her embrace, "j-just a moment, please."

She reluctantly pulled back and grabbed Dan by the cheeks, kissing his forehead, "I-I missed you, sweetie. I-I'll see you soon, okay?"

Before Dan could come up with a reply, 'Big D' grabbed him by the hand and began walking, the shocked crowd slid to the side to not slow them down, "let's hurry. There's a nearby hospital of the Sitri Clan nearby."

"Sitri?" Dan repeated, earning a nod from him. He heard it somewhere, but he couldn't put a finger on it.

Yet — from an odd reason — he had it at the tip of his tongue.

Weird.

"Yes, sounds familiar?" He gave Dan a side-glance, searching for a reaction. Sitri was a famous housecarl around the Underworld because of their advance, medical facilities — he must know it, right?

"...It's a devil, yes?" Dan answered after a pregnant silence.

"… _What a slow response,"_ the gray-haired man narrowed his grey eyes, looking back at the path and ignoring the looks of mild shock of nearby devils, _"REALLY slow. He hesitated_ _—_ _as if he didn't know the answer. Maybe he's still in shock? He came back from the dead, after all. Or maybe… no. It can't be."_

"Something wrong…?" Dan nervously asked at the taller man, looking everywhere but him, "we… we suddenly stopped."

 _"It's now or never,"_ he dropped to one knee and sneaked his hands on Dan's shoulders, "Dan, do you know who I am?"

…

…

…

"… who are you?"

The answer stung his heart, _"… Damn it,"_ he hung his head low, _"It seems his return came with a great cost… he has amnesia or something similar."_

He felt hurt that Dan lost all his memories of their good and bad times together _—_ but he pushed those gloomy emotions to the back of his mind. Dan was here, that's what matters. He only wished he could figure out a way to explain this to mom and dad without making the conversation uncomfortable.

Father would remain calm — but disheartened by the news. His mother was a different story.

"Who are you?" Dan repeated, firmly this time. He looked deeply at the man's features, now that he thought about it _—_ and thanks to his memory slowly unblurring a little — this man looked somewhat familiar.

He had seen that graceful face _—_ but not in person.

He had seen him in a cover page.

An anime cover page.

No… the cover of a _Light Novel._

He offered a small — yet — saddened smile, "My name is Diehauser Belial, Head of the Clan Belial, and Champion of the Rating Game," his smile broadened at Dan's poker face, "welcome back from the grave, little brother."

A small, imaginary train formed out of nowhere and rammed into Dan at full speed, ruining the corridor with his scattered thoughts.

Back in the real world, Dan stood there, gently blinking on the spot — trying to process what he'd just been told.

In the end, the only smart response he could come up with was a flat — !

"What."

* * *

 **That's it. Yeah maybe a bit boring and short but you know, take it slowly and easy.**

 **Honestly, I wrote this because I was bored** _ **and**_ **because I'm a sucker for SI, and since I didn't discover Self Insert's in DxD category, I was honestly baffled and of course, lore, expect a shit ton of lore.**

 **Yes, I know, no need to remind me, I used the most overused race of all times. "Devil" but honestly, they're my favorite race in DxD.**

 **But hey! At least I'm not using the Gremory Family! I'm using** _ **the**_ **House of Belial, which, I dare to say, I think I'm the first one to touch that mine of gold.**

 **He'll have a harem. Not huge as Issei's harem — a small one of underused characters. It'll take some time for the ladies to show affection and interest. It won't have a big impact on the story, though.**

 **No. Dan is not his name, it's a nickname. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if you guys know his name. It's cringy, I know.**

 **My grammar is horrible, so expect to see in some chapters good grammar and the others… yikes.**

 **Well, that's about it. Hope you liked it, Cheers.**

 **Update July 9 2019: Totally changed Chapter 1 — made it shorter and less dramatic since reviewes weren't liking the way I had implemented the chapter. Maybe I made it worse, but meh. It's gonna stay that way.**

 **There may be a few grammar mistakes, but I'll check on them later on. For now, I'll make some tweaking on the next chapters. So, if you see something that doesn't match with the first chapter then try to ignore — it's getting an eventual update. Apologies for the inconvenience. Good day or night.**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: A World of Fictitious People**


	2. A World of Fictitious People

**Chapter 2: A World of Fictitious People**

* * *

"Lazarus syndrome,"

"Pardon me?"

It has been hours since the Belial Brothers reached the nearest hospital, to give the younger of the two, some immediate attendance. Thankfully, the hospital's lobby was similar to a ghost town, with few people waiting for their turn to get some help from the medical facility.

The greater part is that being the leader of one of the most important Pillars in the Underworld _and_ Champion of the famous Rating Game, it gave benefits to almost anything.

In other words, the moment Diehauser stepped inside the building, in the blink of an eye, Dan was now getting a full medical exam by a doctor.

While the expert was occupied with Dan, Diehauser took the opportunity to send a message to his family, hoping that at least a text could alleviate their nerves.

The doctor looked away from his notepad, staring at Diehauser's gray eyes. "Lazarus syndrome," he repeated, humming, "I wouldn't be surprised if you hadn't heard a thing about this phenomenon, Emperor."

"Hit it right in the nose, doctor," the Champion said, waiting for the explanation of this disorder. He knew a bunch of diseases and syndromes, but this Lazarus Syndrome? He didn't even hear a case coming from this ailment.

Humming once again, the doctor turned back at his notepad, resuming his writing. "It takes its name from Lazarus who received a miracle from Jesus Christ," the doctor winced, feeling a sudden headache. "This miracle was being brought back from the dead," he sighed, ceasing his handwriting. "Occurrences of this syndrome are an enigma and the causes are not well understood, but there's an assumption that it may be the buildup of pressure in the upper front of the body."

"So, resurrection," Diehauser muttered mostly to himself, earning a nod from the doctor.

"Correct," the expert smiled at Lord Belial. "I dare to say, your brother is a lucky toddler, Emperor."

"…" Diehauser didn't say a word after that, but, of course, he mentally agreed with the professional. His gentle gray eyes jumped instinctively at the patient.

Resting on a medical bed with the sheets covering his waist and hands above the white fabric was Dan, who was staring at the door in front of him, zoning off from the conversion between the adults.

Since the moment Diehauser had declared himself as his older brother, Dan took the news like a bullet without a bulletproof vest, it made him worried, and it even made the atmosphere awkward—mostly for Diehauser—every time he wanted to socialize with him, the Champion was greeted by dull silence. At first, he had assumed that Dan was regaining his memories back, but when he sent a quick glance at Dan's direction now and then, expecting some changes, but of course, nothing.

" _What're you thinking about, Dan?"_ Diehauser thought, shaking his head.

"Doctor," Diehauser called out, not looking away from Dan, "this… Lazarus Syndrome, does it come with something else?"

The expert frowned, "I'm sorry, but I'll need you to phrase that better, Emperor."

"An extra disease, like, asthma, randomly falling unconscious or maybe, losing your memories?"

…

"… I think it's better if we continue this outside."

The specialist already made his way to the front door, waiting for the Devil to follow his trail, which he did, leaving Dan on his own business.

Meanwhile, in Dan's head…

" _I'm in DxD, I'm in DxD, I'm in DxD, I'm in DxD…"_ it's obvious that Dan was shocked by the news, getting sent to an _anime_ , and be _the_ brother of one of the most badass Devils in the Underworld? That's amazing—he thought. Even then, he couldn't believe it, yes, he read fiction novels about this, and he found them amazing, he always asked himself how it feels to reside in your favorite anime.

Now, Dan retracted those words.

His real family, how are they? They must be worried as hell to know that, a member of their family is missing from the real world.

He needed to know, is this fictitious world is going to be light-hearted as the anime and the light novel? Or is Dan going to stand below the colorful rainbow?

" _No, no, focus, damn it!"_ Dan cursed mentally, gritting his teeth. _"Your parents would rather want you to be alive in another place and safe, rather than finding you death on the streets."_

…Is he truly safe, though?

Dan knows that he'll face the terrorism coming from the hands of Khaos Brigade, Qlippoth, and even foresee the awakening of 666 aka Beast of the Apocalypse, that's a given, after all, his older "brother" is joining Rizevim's faction to exhibit the fraud of the Rating Games _and_ the Old Devils.

Dan just wishes that if somehow, his family finds his corpse; they'll get over it, quickly, especially his dear mother.

The thought of pinching his arm just to make sure this is still _not_ a dream was still floating in his head, but it'll be absurd, Diehauser already proved that point when the latter tackled Dan to the ground. His fate was already sealed.

He's trapped in a web, and the roulette of luck doesn't seem to favor him at all.

" _What to do, what to do?"_ Dan thought, grasping the bed sheets tightly.

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Emperor?"

"Certainly," Diehauser nodded, standing outside of Dan's room. "I even asked him if he knew about me," he paused, "he didn't know me."

The doctor hummed, rubbing his chin in deep thought. "As I stated before, this phenomenon is extremely rare, few people who received the spontaneous return didn't live too much to tell the tale."

"Are you implying that my brother may die a few days later?"

The doctor's eyes widened, shaking rapidly his hands, "no, no! What I meant to say is that it is unknown if this syndrome can also give you this type of symptom."

"How troublesome," Diehauser pinched the bridge of his nose, holding back an empty sigh; this will be extremely difficult to explain the rest of his family, especially his mother.

" **Diehauser!"**

Hearing a voice calling his name and footsteps coming from behind, the Champion turned around, just in time to see a familiar face.

Diehauser knew who she was, like Dan, is one of those people where he can drop the act of a nobleman and be just himself. Turning around he faced her, like most female devils, the young woman has a voluptuous body, her small gray ponytail resting over her shoulder, the right side of her hair covering one gray eye.

"W-Where?" The gray-haired woman gasped for air, resting her hands on her knees. "Where is he, Diehauser?"

"Cleria," Diehauser nodded at her exhausted form. "I presume you ran all the way here?"

Cleria stood up, sending a small glare at him. "Of course I did! You told me to take your mother back to our territory!"

"You could've used a train to travel faster."

"I did, but the train station is still _far_ away from the hospitals!"

"It seems that you're furious," Diehauser noted, ignoring her heated glare. "Did I do something wrong?"

"I went to like, ten hospitals to find you two!" Cleria snapped. "Let me remind you that they're _not_ close, you could've messaged me your direction!"

"You never asked."

Growling, Cleria closed her eyes and took deep breaths. She knows that he's doing this purposely. She could sense the cheeky smile! He's merely trying to get on her nerves, but she'll prove him wrong.

Once her breathing was back to normal, Cleria popped her eyes open, "back to the point," her gaze softened. "How… how is he, Diehauser?"

Sighing, Diehauser waved off her concern, "he's fine, Cleria."

That made her sighed in relief, "Is he awake?"

"Yes."

She didn't need to hear more, moving away from the Emperor, she took a hold of the knob, twisting it.

Before she could peek inside, a hand pushed the door closed once again, earning a surprised gasp from the young woman.

"What're you doing?" Cleria asked, turning around to face the Champion.

"You can't go inside," came the reply.

"Why not?" Cleria tensed, nervousness once again taking a hold of her. "Something's wrong with Dan?"

The Emperor opened his mouth to speak but quickly closed it. Turning around, he faced the silent doctor. "Doctor," he called making the professional jumped from his spot. "Explain to her what I've told you."

The expert blinked, twice, before coughing on his fist and addressing Cleria, "well, what the Emperor told me before your sudden appearance, is that, the boy Danhauser Belial lost his memories."

Cleria felt someone slapped her; she immediately shot her wide eyes at Diehauser, getting a nod from confirmation. "H-how…?"

"We don't know," Diehauser grunted, pinching his nose, his fingers deepening around his skin. "Theorizing, I assume that it's one of the symptoms of Lazarus Syndrome."

"Lazarus-who?"

"Lazarus Syndrome brings people back from the death," Diehauser kept it brief, getting an "ah" from Cleria, "the chances of getting it are relatively low, Dan got lucky."

"I see," the younger cousin, stared at her own feet, biting her lower lip.

The two have the same thought spinning around their heads. What now? They can't ignore this at all, the whole Clan is going to demand for answers, and The Emperor needs to speak the truth for his people, the worst part is that this is going to pierce the Underworld's news, after all, since when you hear someone coming back from the dead, and also, Belial Clan is an important family in hell, pretty sure Danhauser made himself known in every corner.

Coughing awkwardly at the sudden change of atmosphere, the doctor spoke, "since this is a family business, I'll keep this brief; Danhauser Belial has no injuries whatsoever, assuming that you'll be taking him back at home…" he received no response from the two. "… Right, just for safe measure, I recommend that the toddler stays in his house for a week at least, he can move freely at home, but physical training is recommended to be avoided at all cost…" more awkward silence, "… I'll take my leave, then. Good luck."

They didn't turn around to show gratitude or say their farewell to the doctor—sticking to quietly stare at their shoes.

.

.

"We can do this," Cleria was the first one to break the silence, a look of determination on her face. "I heard that there are treatments to cure amnesia, we could—!"

"Cleria, look—"

"No, Diehauser, listen," Cleria hushed him, making the Emperor sigh and bury his hands in his pockets. "As I was saying, we could search for a therapist to help us regain his memories, or maybe do it ourselves! Your mother has a book filled with pictures of his childhood, right? With each picture, we can retrieve Dan's memories back!"

"…" Diehauser stood silent, staring Cleria with a stoic expression, allowing her to finish, when he saw that she finished, he spoke, "are you done?" Cleria nodded. "Good, first of all, I never said that Dan has amnesia, he could also have dementia or Alzheimer, we don't know what he has yet, so we'll just stick with memory loss," he paused. "Second, I don't think it's a good idea to use a book with pictures, forcing him to remember is the least thing I want to do, who knows, maybe he'll drop another act."

"… What about therapy?"

Diehauser scowled, glaring at the room where his younger brother is. "I don't believe in such thing as therapy," the Emperor admitted, eyes focused on the door. "I rather do it myself, than letting a stranger waste my brother's time."

"This is not about you believing in therapy or not," Cleria folded her arms, "it's about Dan's mental health!"

"Dan just lost his memory, that's it," Diehauser growled slightly. "My brother's mental health is fine."

"Then what're you going to do?"

"Leave it," Diehauser bluntly answered, making her eyes widen. "Dan doesn't need help at all; he can retrieve his memory back by simply living his life."

Cleria opened her mouth, ready to counter him, but no words came from her lips, in a way; he was right, maybe if they give Danhauser time, his memories will eventually return and everything will have a happy ending.

They just need to have patience with the poor boy, that's it.

Cleria reluctantly sighed, disappointed on losing a discussion against his older cousin. "Fine, you win, but keep in mind that your mother and father are going to insist on a good explanation…"

"I know, I'll take care of that," Diehauser said, cracking his neck. "We've been here for a long time. I think it's time to pay the patient a visit."

Cleria smiled, "of course."

* * *

From the corner of the bed, Danhauser heard knocking coming from the door; instinctively he turned to the source of the sound, watching how the door slowly unclosed.

Expecting Diehauser and the doctor coming from the entrance, it was a surprise to him when a young woman replaced the specialist.

Cleria felt her lips lift upwards at the sight of Danhauser's confused stare, deep inside she was so happy to see once again her cousin move freely after the tragedy that happened a few hours ago.

Cleria didn't waste her time when their eyes locked; she quickly made her way towards him, bringing Danhauser into a hug.

Danhauser was baffled by the sudden affection, he didn't know her in both real life and light novel, the few people he remembers from the house of Belial is his supposed older brother and…

…Oh.

" _Is this Cleria?"_ Danhauser thought, slowly responding the embrace by one of his own. _"She's good-looking, though."_

"You know how to make your cousin worry, don't you?" Cleria broke the embrace, her hands still on his shoulders, her gray eyes watering. "I missed you."

" _That answers my question,"_ Dan felt a strong hand on top of his head, looking up it was Diehauser smiling softly at him.

"Dan," he started. "This is Cleria Belial, our cousin."

Danhauser slowly turned to face his cousin, who was pushing her tears away, smiling warmly at him. He didn't say a word, awkwardly nodding at her.

"What now?" Danhauser asked, facing his brother.

"We're leaving," Diehauser replied, already walking toward the door. "The doctor explained that you don't have any mortal injuries, and you can take off. However, he warned us to keep you well-rested in your house for a week."

Danhauser frowned, looking down at his knees, damn. When Diehauser went to speak privately with the doctor, Danhauser had already planned everything.

He'd wished to train with his brother, even if he hated to admit it, he'll need it. Knowing that Cleria is still breathing, he speculated that he was not in DxD's timeline yet, maybe a few years back before shit hits the fan.

Honestly, he was mostly excited to use his Clan trait "Worthlessness" for the first time. The power to nullify out the powers of others and objects, making them unable to utilize their abilities as long as they are under the user's effect. In Danhauser eyes, that was perhaps his most favorite ability.

" _The doctor just wasted a week for me to slack off in bed, how unlucky."_ Danhauser mentally whined, he was looking forward to mastering his power, but now he can't, unlucky.

Oh well, let's see the bright side, he can explore the mansion that he'll be living and meet new faces.

"Dan, are you still with us?" Danhauser shook his head, glancing at Cleria who was pouting at him.

"Sorry, I zoned off," Danhauser apologized while standing up from the medical bed, stretching his arms.

"Huh-uh, I noted that," Cleria's pout disappeared, replaced by a smile. "Ready to go, Dan?"

Glancing at Diehauser for a few seconds, Danhauser turned back to Cleria, nodding. "Lead the way."

* * *

"Here we are!" Cleria cheered, stepping outside the train, the Belial Brothers following from behind.

It has been a _troublesome_ day. They took _hours_ to reach their territory, the three of them feeling how their energy was drained away when they left the transport—Cleria, of course, was good at hiding her fatigue. During their time at the train, Danhauser learned a few important things about his Housecarl and the people residing in the mansion, he was amazed when he observed through the window the fauna and the vegetation, it reminded him of the Gremory territory when he saw the anime, at first he was not dazed, but now, that he's seeing it with his _own_ gray eyes, he was baffled.

When he asked how huge the Belial territory was, Diehauser, being the expert of the two, stated that it was the same size as the Germany's largest island—Rügen.

Danhauser didn't know the length or width of Rügen, but by knowing that it's the _biggest_ island of Germany, was enough explanation to satisfy his curiosity.

"This is the Belial Mansion, one of the highest ranking families among the 72 Pillars! Thank you for your travels via Belial Navigators, please make sure to show gratitude to your guides on the way out of the tour!" Cleria said with an exaggerated bow.

Diehauser smiled in amusement, followed by his younger brother. "Thank you, Cleria."

"Tips are always welcomed."

"Ha. No."

Cleria pouted.

The Emperor gazed at Danhauser. "Let's go, I bet that you're pretty much tired with all this adventure?"

His question was answered by Danhauser's yawn. "Yeah, pretty much."

Not wasting time the three began their walk towards the mansion in silence, enjoying each other's company.

When they approached the building, Danhauser expected to be greeted by the servants of the Belial Clan, but given the fact, that is night time, and Diehauser is the Head of the House of Belial who is known as a polite man that respects his opponents.

His appreciation may extend to the butlers and maids residing in the huge dwelling. In other words, they're already sleeping.

If what Danhauser theorized is true, then why the lights of the Mansion are flicked on?

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard someone knocking on a surface. He looked up to see that they reached the twin doors. He was standing in the middle.

" **Coming!"** Danhauser heard a muffled shout slowly approaching to unlock the entrance.

After a few seconds of silence, the doors creaked open, showing a new face.

Blocking the entrance, was a man with a height similar to his brother, he has a stubble shaded with dark blue and his slicked back hair following the same color scheme. He was wearing the armor of a knight, only missing the helmet. His whole body surrounded by a creepy aura.

"Ah, master," the knight started, bowing respectfully at Diehauser. "I'm glad that you made it safely back."

" _His accent is French, he also acts like a nobleman,"_ Danhauser noted. _"By looking at his attire and the way he addressed Diehauser, I presume this guy is in his peerage, a Knight Piece is my bet."_

"Gilles," Diehauser nodded at him. "Why are you still awake? Shouldn't you be sleeping, too?"

Gilles smiled at his master's concern. The smile, however, sent chills to Danhauser's spine. "Ah, oui, oui, of course. I should be taking a rest too, but, I promised your dear mother to stay awake until the three of you reached home cautiously." After he finished, he sent a quick eye at the youngest of the three, making the latter freeze in the spot.

Why is Danhauser wary of him?

Then it hit him.

The attire of a knight,

The accent of a French nobleman,

The name Gilles,

" _Holy shit…"_ Danhauser thought, wide-eyed.

"Ah, so the gossips are true," Gilles spoke, his smile widening creepily, "to think that, young master, fooled death itself, fascinating."

Gilles dropped to one knee, forcing Danhauser to take a cautious step back, Gilles' dark blue eyes studying him carefully.

Gilles' smile turned to a sad one, "I heard about your sudden loss of memories, pitiful." Gilles sighed, "Which means that you forgot about me. Allow me to introduce myself to you once again, young master…" Gilles coughed, his ocean eyes sharpening. "I am the butler of the Belial Clan, a former babysitter to you, _and_ Queen of Diehauser Belial, Gilles de Rais—that is my name."

"…" Danhauser was lost for words, in front of him, stands the infamous serial killer of France _and_ his former _fucking_ babysitter?! What's wrong with these people?!

Danhauser, of course, expressed his opinion about this.

"What the _fuck?"_

That earned a glare from Cleria. "Danhauser Belial, you—!"

Cleria stopped at the sound of cackling, turning around, she spotted Gilles slowly standing up.

"Keh… heh, heh, do not fret, Lady Cleria, I anticipated that reaction from him." Gilles waved her off, his smile still present. "You three stayed outside for too long, please come inside, you will catch a cold." Stepping aside to allow the three Pure-Blooded Devils moved inside, Gilles beamed at Danhauser with his shallow smile.

Danhauser ignored it, focused on the foyer. As he stepped into the room, he immediately noticed the multicolored checkered stone floor. He looked up a mahogany framed staircase, with twisted iron bars leading up to the second floor. Straight ahead looked like the entrance to a middle room of some sort. He saw a piece of paper sitting on a cream colored bench just in front of the staircase. The dining room to his right caught his attention then. This home was exquisite. It was truly beautiful.

"Where's mother?" Diehauser asked, ignoring Danhauser's look of awe.

"Sleeping," Gilles responded. "When Lady Cleria brought Lady Belial back, she felt really exhausted and somewhat depressed. I offered to guide her to her chambers, it was difficult, but I convinced her by doing a simple task. "

"Let me guess, waiting for us?" Gilles nodded, making the Emperor sighed and shake his head, "how troublesome."

Danhauser felt a pair of hands resting on his shoulders, bringing him back to the real world. Looking up he was greeted by his cousin smiling down at him.

"You're tired, right?" Cleria guessed, earning a yawn from him and making her giggle. "Alright, I'll show you your room."

Nodding tiredly, he felt Cleria grasp his hand and gently pulled him towards the stairs.

"Sleep well, young master, heh." He turned around, sending a small glare at the French butler who in return smiled.

"Goodnight, Dan." Diehauser also said his farewell, smiling at him.

"Night," Danhauser sleepily waved back, taking off with Cleria.

When the two reached the second floor, Danhauser immediately turned to Cleria. "Is it really necessary to grab me by the hand? I can take care of myself."

Instead of feeling offended by his words, she grinned. "Aww~ so cute~ Danny's acting tough in front of her beautiful cousin~!"

"I'm serious, and don't call me Danny!" Danhauser yanked his hand back, ignoring the pout of her cousin.

" _Damn, her pout is adorable."_ Danhauser thought, shaking his head.

After that, silence soon swamped the corridor, something that the two didn't mind, each one in deep thought.

Danhauser honestly was getting too open for his tastes, he felt like he just let them inside his heart _so_ easily, perhaps because he knows them? Not personally, but in the Light Novels, he read about Diehauser and he honestly liked the guy, the Emperor also saw Cleria as a younger sister, meaning that maybe she's also a good person, too.

Maybe he's going to do fine in this world, there are only two people who he'll be acting awkward.

Gilles de Rais, he's a serial killer, no question asked.

Lastly, Danhauser's mother, Calcabrina, he's going to be _so_ stiff around her. To call her mother, when she's _not_ his mother? It'll be difficult for him, but he'll do his best, the last thing he wants is to be nicknamed as the black sheep of this Clan.

Let's not forget the fact that, he will meet the likes of Rias, Sona, Sairaorg and the rest of the children, not now, but soon.

Who knows, there's a possibility that a Maou or even one of the Top 10 in Ranting Games knocked on his door.

Suddenly, an idea popped in his mind. Danhauser turned to Cleria, "hey, cousin?"

"Just call me Cleria, Danny." Cleria waved him off, ignoring his glare. "What is it?"

Sighing at the new nickname, he spoke. "Do you sleep here, too?"

Cleria's eyes suddenly widened in realization, "Ah yes, I forgot to tell you, in case you didn't know, this is not where I live, too much nobility for my tastes," she stuck her tongue out playfully. "I live in the human world, in a small town in Japan, but just for today I'll sleep here, too."

"Really? That's awesome." Danhauser feigned surprise, knowing too well that right now, she's in charge of Kuoh.

"I know right?" Cleria puffed her chest. "Oh, we're here."

He wanted to ask if she's dating _someone_ in particular, but he'll be seen suspicious in her eyes, so he'd hold his tongue, for now.

"I presume that you know how to open a door, right?" She teased, sending a wink in his direction, not expecting an answer she turned around. "Goodnight, Danny, see you tomorrow!"

Feeling how her hand petted his hair, Danhauser watched how she walked towards a different door, making sure that there's no one occupying the room.

Facing his door, Danhauser twisted the knob, easily unlocking the door and stepping inside his room.

Danhauser didn't pay any attention at the furniture, knowing full well that each one is unique among the others, however, there's _one_ single object that peeked his interest.

That object in special was looking back at him.

A mirror,

He made his way towards the looking glass, trying to make sure this is _how_ he looks.

…

"Ha! I'm a master race!" He couldn't contain the goofy grin playing on his lips. He was _so_ young. Approximately, 13 or 15 years old—give it or take. Like Diehauser he also has gray hair and eyes. He was still carrying around his body the black suit that they used for him to look formal during his burying.

Instinctively, Danhauser placed his fingers over his pointy ears; they looked like the ones of an elf.

All in all, he looked like Diehauser, but younger.

Satisfied, he approached the bed, suddenly feeling drained when he made eye contact with the comfy bunk.

Without pushing the elegant sheets aside, he jumped to the bed, feeling how the mattress was slowly eating him up.

"So soft…" Danhauser whispered, laying his head on the pillow.

…

" _I need to get stronger."_

That thought alone was stalking his mind since his lodging in the Sitri Hospital. He had a huge advantage, he was good in time, Diehauser _is_ his brother he'll help him get stronger, that's guaranteed.

A lot of things will happen during the course of time, the Old Maou Faction, Khaos Brigade, The Hero Faction, Qlippoth, Trihexa's awakening.

Cleria's death,

Back then, he was a slacker, to keep it blunt. Maybe dying and getting reincarnated in this world is a way to prove himself he can do better, perhaps a second chance to prove those who mocked him wrong.

To make his former family proud,

Thinking about it was enough to make Danhauser's lips turn into a small smile. He was looking forward to training with the Champion of the Rating Games.

Slowly but surely, his eyes betrayed him, forcing him to sleep like a log.

* * *

"Something seems to be bothering you, master," Gilles noted, pouring royal milk tea. "Perhaps I could help?"

Taking a hold of the tea, Diehauser took a seat, nodding in appreciation. "You should know what's bothering me, Gilles."

Watching silently how Lord Belial took a sip, Gilles spoke, "doubtlessly, it involves young master, is it not?"

"Yes it does," Diehauser replied, looking at the furious chimney. "What do you think?"

Gilles tilted his head, almost playfully. "I am lost, master, could you enlighten me?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

.

.

.

"Oui, I thought young master had lost his memories," Gilles responded, his personality taking an 180-degree. "The way he'd acted towards me. The _fear_ I could smell it, he remembered me, but not you? Impossible."

"Perhaps not all his memories disappeared?" Diehauser tossed his two cents, taking another sip.

"Or maybe he did it voluntarily?" Gilles frowned. "Maybe he dropped an act to bring the Underworld's attention?"

"No, my brother wouldn't do that," Diehauser quickly dismissed that option. "He died, Gilles, I was there."

Gilles bowed, "Of course, I apologize, for bringing such memories."

Even then, Gilles had a bad feeling about the child, how was Danhauser scared of him? Is it because the way he teased him a few minutes ago or the disgusting aura around his body?

Or maybe he knows his dark past? Gilles never told Danhauser his deep secret, only a few people knows about this.

Whatever it is, Gilles would keep an eye out. That's for sure.

"It's fine." The Emperor sighed, rubbing his nose. "Tomorrow is going to be a troublesome day."

"Indeed," Gilles agreed, taking the empty tea from his hands. "I presume you have a good explanation for your mother?"

"… I'll think about something." Diehauser was starting to get moderately irked by the reminder of his mother, he gets it.

"What about your father?"

"…"

"Master, what—"

"I'll send him a message; I'll make sure he's informed." Diehauser stood up, facing at his Queen. "I'll go take a nap now, the same thing goes for you, Gilles."

"Of course, master, of course," bowing once again, Gilles took his leave, giving the Emperor some time alone.

"…" Diehauser didn't move for a while, standing like a statue with his gray eyes glued on the chimney.

In the end, he sighed, expecting an answer by looking at the fire, "I'll take a bath first."

Thus, the Emperor walked away, ready to face the next day.

* * *

 **Gilles de Rais is not a pedophile, at least in this fanfiction he's not, he's reformed.**

 **Also, I apologized for posting this chapter kind of late, it was supposed to be posted yesterday, but, eeehh…!**

 **Now that we've got that out of the way I want to start by saying Woah! 6 reviews, followed by 15 favorites and 24 followers?! That's crazy! Yeah, maybe for an expert at writing stories this is nothing, but for me? It's sick. Thank you guys, I appreciate the support.**

 **Cheers.**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Rebellious Child of the Dragon Saint.  
**


	3. Rebellious Child of the Dragon Saint

**Chapter 3: Rebellious Child of the Dragon Saint.**

* * *

"Rise and shine!" Someone chanted at some blasphemous hour of the morning. Danhauser reached for a pillow to cover his ears, unfortunately, it has been stolen, finding out he lacked the comfy cushion, he pulled his blankets up to his head, only to find out it had been taken, too.

Gingerly, he looked up with blurred eyes, spotting his cousin, Cleria, carrying the blanket and the pillow under her arms.

…

" _How unlucky, good thing it's not freezing here."_ Danhauser curled up, ignoring the sharp look of Cleria.

He heard her steps fading away, ah, perhaps she—

"I said get up, you lazy bum!" Danhauser hissed at the sensation of the sun warming his skin. Since he's a Devil the sun is _way_ more bothersome, not at the same level of a vampire, fortunately, the goverment of the Underworld designed their fake sun to not cause any lethal damage to a Devil's skin.

Still, the annoyance was lingering there.

"I yet need to wake up Diehauser, and trust me, he's _way_ worse," Cleria sighed, standing behind the spread curtains, "I noticed that you hadn't changed your clothes. Grab something different and make your way towards the dinner room, breakfast will be ready," with nothing else to say, she strolled outside of the room, ready to wake up the Champion from his hibernation.

Rubbing his eyes. Danhauser grunted, dissatisfied to be attacked during his sleep. Standing up, he stumbled towards his closet.

When he opened the clothes room, he felt his mouth hang open.

…

"… What the hell is this?" He randomly took a piece of clothing, inspecting the attire with a look of distaste. "I forgot how much the Underworld loves to dress… elegantly."

In all honesty, in his eyes this was horrible, not only does it looks made for a clown, but it looks so tight that Danhauser was questioning if he'd breathe inside of this.

He cannot grasp how Sirzechs forced his child to wear this; maybe it was the mother— _Grayfia_ — who encouraged the idea.

He'd understand if Millicas turned into a Stray right off the bat.

Putting the costume back to its place, Danhauser dug deeper, trying to find something _decent_ to wear in the house _and_ to go outside, but unfortunately, he'd found either something worse or the same apparel, but different color.

Several moments later, Danhauser took the most appealing clothing in his eyes—still, he didn't feel convinced. It was difficult to get dressed with these; he was in fact, struggling, but he managed it.

Standing in front of the mirror, he started grading his attire.

He liked it. The dark gray unbuttoned trench coat with the Belial symbol over the coat's left shoulder was a nice touch. Underneath, a navy blue ascot wrapped around his neck, which hangs over a black, sleeveless vest, dark green pants, and tall, brown boots.

He heard knocking on his door, followed by a familiar voice. "Dan! Are you done?"

It was his brother. Taking one last look at his way of dressing, he nodded in affirmation. "On my way!"

Danhauser drifted out of his room, nearly slamming the door at Diehauser—thankfully, he moved backward.

Glancing up, he noticed that Diehauser also changed his vestment. Danhauser was honestly not surprised finding the Emperor wearing his dark red two tailed coat with golden patterns followed by tan colored jeans, a _huge_ buckle around the waist, white gloves, and high military boots. Just like the illustration that Ishibumi had offered to his fans.

And of course, how could he forget? There's nothing underneath of his coat, going shirtless throughout his whole life, displaying his bare, well-toned chest and muscular physique to the world.

The bastard's ripped, and since Danhauser has the mind of an adult and the body of a teenager, he couldn't contain the hint of envy as a man.

Pushing aside his jealousy, the way he dressed was _oddly_ familiar. He'd seen it before, from a game franchise, but he can't put a finger on it.

Oh well, sooner or later, he'll remember.

It seems Diehauser was also inspecting his attire, hence the silence.

Nodding, Diehauser walked away with his brother by his side.

"Sleep well last night?" Diehauser started the first part of the day with a question, not looking away from the corridor.

Stretching his arms, Danhauser nodded with a sigh of satisfaction. "It was great, and yours?"

"Troublesome," Danhauser chuckled at his answer, "Cleria had to ruin my sleeping beauty."

"Yeah, same here."

That earned Diehauser's attention, sending a sideway glance at Danhauser. "Really? Then how come you did not appear in the dining room before me?"

"I was struggling in choosing something decent," Danhauser answered, tugging his coat.

"You don't like them?" Danhauser shook his head, "Ah I see, ask Cleria or mother for some advice, they have had better tastes than me." He tilted his head. "Weird, you liked them before."

Danhauser had to hold back the flinch at the mention of his new mother. Since its breakfast, the most obvious thing is that she's going to be present.

But let's push the inevitable behind, for now, he has _more_ questions, and Diehauser is sure as hell a perfect person to ask almost anything.

"Hey, brother," Danhauser called out, getting a hum from him. "Why Gilles said he was _your_ Queen, am I missing something?"

He, of course, knew the answer, but he was just playing his role as "I lost my memories, please refresh them"

"…All High-Class Devils are given 15 chess pieces to increase their ranks by reincarnating other beings into Devils." The Emperor explained. "These pieces are called, 'Evil Pieces'."

Diehauser began explaining the name of each piece, the cost, the pros and cons, something that he didn't pay a lot of attention since he already knew about this old data. His older brother also decided to tell the reason of why they were built, all thanks to the Great War between the Biblical Factions.

Of course, The Emperor mentioned the Four Great Maous passing away during the warfare, but, he never said a thing about God's status.

"Okay, and where's my _set_?" Danhauser inquired, earning a small chuckle from Diehauser.

"I expected that question _miles_ away." His expression turned serious once again. "You were supposed to have your own servants… but since you know, you died, we annulled it."

Danhauser was curious about something, how did he die, anyway? Not in his previous life, but the _Dan_ , the true member of the House of Belial, every time Diehauser mentioned something about this, his look darkened.

How fucked up it was?

It may be dangerous to ask right now, who knows how Diehauser could take it.

"I see, hey remember during our time on the train, how you talked about each Housecarl having a unique ability?" Danhauser quickly changed the topic, knowing that he'd receive his chess pieces on another occasion. From far away he could hear the distant voices and utensils, the servants are readying the food, and the two were getting closer.

"Yes, want to know ours?" Diehauser guessed, thankful that Danhauser took the initiative to change the conversation. "Presuming your answer is yes, I'll answer quickly." He hummed. "Our power is called 'Worthlessness'—long story short, it allows us to nullify any ability thrown at us."

"Whoa, really?" Danhauser faked amazedness.

Diehauser simply nodded, looking down at Danhauser curiously. "Why the sudden question?"

Carefully descending the stairs to make sure he didn't trip over, Danhauser answered. "For two reasons, one, I wanted to know what makes us unique from the other Pillars," he lifted two fingers, forming the peace sign. "Two I want to learn how to use it."

They stopped in front of the dinner room. A single twist of the door's knob was enough to release the aroma of the morning food.

Diehauser, however, didn't plan to do that, yet. "Dan," he started, getting on one knee to properly face his brother. "You literally _came_ back from the dead, and you want to now train?"

"Uh… yes?" Danhauser felt embarrassed at the deadpan stare that the Emperor is offering.

Diehauser shook his head, sighing. "Troublesome."

"I'll take that as a 'yes', then?" Danhauser asked hopefully, mentally crossing his finger.

Looking at Danhauser, Diehauser offered another deadpan look, making the young Belial feel awkward at the sudden dull atmosphere, the only sound he could perceive was behind those doors.

Finally, the Emperor spoke. "I plan to stay around for a while, we have a lot of time, there's nothing hurrying us."

"Exactly! Sooner or later, you have to return to your role as Lord Belial, we have _so_ little time!" Danhauser countered.

"Remember what the doctor told us, you can't do anything dangerous." Diehauser reminded him.

"Who listen to those guys anyways?!"

"Everyone does."

"Just show me something, the basics at least!" Danhauser clasped his hands together, looking up at him with hopeful eyes. "Please?"

This time, Diehauser groaned, slowly standing up. "You're not dropping this, aren't you?"

Danhauser shook his head.

"…" Using the method of silence, Diehauser stared at the knob of the door, slowly spinning it and showing the wonders of the room.

Watching how the Champion moved inside without giving a response, made Danhauser sigh in defeat, slowly following from behind.

"… Backyard, after breakfast,"

Danhauser spirit lifted up.

* * *

Breakfast wasn't as bad as he expected.

Yes, they were greeted by a grumpy Cleria, who shot a glare at Danhauser the moment he took his seat at her side; it seems someone doesn't like eating cold food, but at least she has manners to wait for the rest.

The next one was Gilles, who, of course, began teasing him with his dark humor, when he was done, he would stand beside his Master, following the role of Queen.

Something that he found in Gilles is that he dons what appears to be a suit, complete with a tie, _beneath_ his armor. When Danhauser commented about his unique way of dressing, he was attacked by an offended French Queen, in a good way. Gilles stopped teasing him for a while. This may be a nod towards his role around this mansion the double-duty of not just a Queen swore to protect the Belial Family, but also a professionally-trained butler overseeing the domestic affairs of House Belial.

Lastly, but not least, his mother.

She was informed about Danhauser's lack of memories which she pursed her lips at the unfortunate announcement. He sometimes asked for something like salt or pepper for his food, those were the only moments where Danhauser would start a conversation with his mother, Calcabrina, however, since she's way more sociable than his son, pushed the conversation further with Diehauser and Cleria joining the chattering.

Ah yes, the food was beyond amazing. The servants really outdid themselves.

"Here we are," Diehauser announced standing in the middle of the backyard with Cleria at his side.

Danhauser whistled.

It was just like the same view as he had on the train yesterday, the only difference being in front of Mother's Nature itself. The backyard **f** ull of flowers, fruit trees, and vegetables and _boy_ is that a _fucking_ labyrinth made of bushes?!

This place is not a backyard; it's a damn forest with the addition of a labyrinth.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Cleria asked, moving at his side with a small smirk on her face.

Danhauser simply nodded. "What's the center of the labyrinth?"

"A pool," Cleria answered, grinning, "The best pool of _all_ time."

Danhauser looked at Cleria with a raised brow, but nonetheless, he didn't express his opinion.

"Right," Diehauser clapped his hands, getting the attention from the other two. "I'll make the assumption that you know why we are here, right?"

Danhauser grinned, feeling excited to start the training. Rubbing his hands together, he answered. "Oh yeah, to begin my training?"

Diehauser smiled. "No."

…

"Excuse me?"

"I said no."

"Ah," Danhauser bobbed his head, feeling somewhat cheated. "If I remember correctly, you said that you—"

"I'll stop you there, Dan." Diehauser interrupted him, "I said 'backyard after breakfast' I never accepted to train you…yet."

"Yet?"

"Yet," Diehauser repeated, nodding. "I have a small challenge for you, but before that, let's give a warm welcome to our _first_ guests."

Before Danhauser could open his mouth, a mighty roar stopped him from further movements.

Danhauser didn't have the time to look up to find the source of loudness, the titanic figure landed down harshly on the grass, sending a wave of dust around him, followed by another creature landing at his side.

Shutting down his eyes, Danhauser cautiously opened them back, trying to see behind the cloud of dust surrounding the two beasts. He only spotted one thing, four red eyes shining brightly.

"Close your eyes," the mighty figure advised.

Danhauser didn't think twice, once again closing his eyes, he felt a powerful wind clashing against him, making him recoil slightly backward. If it wasn't for the hand pinned on his shoulder, he'd be flying back inside the mansion.

Feeling that the tempest ceased, Danhauser glared at the guilty, only for his angry stare to turn to one of surprise.

He was right, these two were _gigantic!_ They also looked identical with the only difference being the age and youth that the small one portrayed. Standing on two feet and reaching fifteen meters was a purple creature that resembled a crocodile with golden horns and black armored pauldrons that extend down to his arms and a loincloth decorated with metallic accessories.

He's a Dragon.

 _They're_ Dragons.

"You made it, Blaze Dragon Meteor, Tannin," Diehauser acknowledged the fellow King.

"Emperor, Diehauser Belial," Tannin nodded back, folding his huge arms. "I want to start by thanking you for allowing us entrance to your lands."

Diehauser raised a hand, "There's no need to be thankful, Tannin, after all, you needed to speak with me about something important, right?"

"Hey there, Tannin, Bova!" Cleria joined the conversation, waving the Meteor Dragon and the hatchling with enthusiasm.

The now named Bova grunted back.

"Good day to you too, Cleria Belial." Tannin greeted back, before facing Danhauser. "Welcome back to the world of the living, Danhauser Belial."

"Ah… thanks," Danhauser waved back, awkwardly, amazed of looking at a dragon in flesh and bones. Tannin looks way more awesome in person than behind a screen.

Danhauser felt a sharp look from another source, ending his praise. He spotted the second dragon who conveniently is returning the gaze and hiding behind the Saint Dragon. _"Who's Bova?"_

"Emperor, I apologize for disrupting your family reunion, but…" the former Dragon King sighed, "…I was sent here to invite you to a Rating Game match."

"From who?"

"The Upsetting Sorcerer, Rudiger Rosenkreutz," the purpure dragon responded, making Diehauser's eyes widen slightly. "He also invited me to attend his match. He wants you as the referee, though."

"…I see," Diehauser scowled, it's weird for the 7th ranked offer him a seat for his match, they don't have nothing against each other, but they're still in a way, rivals, the same sentiment goes for Tannin.

After all, sooner or later, Diehauser would step down as Champion of the Rating Game.

The Emperor, obviously, doesn't have the desire to gift the throne to someone, yet. He'd only go down with a fight.

"Alright, I accept." Diehauser finally answered, still feeling the odds about Rudiger, possibly the reincarnated devil wanted more than he arbitrating the match? The Sorcerer always loved to hide a lot of things under his sleeve.

"Great, there's still one last thing to say," shockingly, Tannin scratched the back of his head, somewhat embarrassed. "This one, however, is more of a personal favor… I hope you don't mind."

"What is it, Tannin?"

"Well… you see, it's about my son." Danhauser's eyes widened in surprise at Tannin's words. "He wanted to see if it was true that his 'rival' was still alive."

Finishing, Tannin glanced down at the smaller dragon who was still behind his father, peeking at Danhauser with a small glare. "Bova, it's disrespectful to stare at someone without saying a word, go and introduce yourself, remember that he lost his memories."

Getting pushed forward by Tannin's tail, Bova yelped in surprise, now turning into the center of attention.

Bova ignored the likes of Diehauser and Cleria, still studying on Danhauser as if he tried to see if he was the real deal or not. Meanwhile, the latter glanced at Bova's appearance.

Nothing different from his father other than his youth and the golden horns were shorter and lacked off sharpness. He also wears a loincloth and his height is around 2 meters tall.

Finally, Bova showed signs of emotion, the Dragon shot Danhauser a goofy grin. He pulled slightly Tannin's loincloth, seeking his father's attention. "Dad! I told you! My rival was still alive!"

Tannin sighed at his son's excitement, holding back a smile, but ultimately failed. "Yes you did, Bova."

Turning back to Danhauser, Bova spoke, "I am Bova Tannin, your most dangerous rival!" Bova announced, pointing himself with his thumb, trying to look tough and serious, but with his tail wagging like a dog getting petted by his master, it gave a different point of view.

"So _cute_...!" Cleria gushed under her breath.

" _Was he mentioned in the Light Novel?"_ Danhauser thought, confused about seeing a character that he never read off or seen a brief cameo for the smaller dragon. _"It seems the owner of this body was someone close to Bova."_

"I wanted to know if Bova could stay here with your brother, Emperor, just like old times." Tannin went straight to the point, not wishing to waste his time.

"Not that I mind, but why us? Can't your peerage handle the troublesome child?"

"Bova asked me to bring him here, to play with his friend."

"He's not my friend! He's my rival!" Bova snapped, facing his father, clearly embarrassed. "We're not going to _play_ we are going to _fight!_ "

Tannin rolled his eyes.

"Wait, how did you know about my problem?" Danhauser questioned. He didn't say a word of it, nor his family spilled the beans. He didn't remember a dragon reaching 15 meters in height either.

"Yesterday, those who attended at your burying spread the word," Tannin answered, shrugging. "The news spread like wildfire, they even reached my territory. I didn't believe in them, Bova, on the other hand, had faith in the gossips. I contacted the Emperor, conveniently the Upsetting Sorcerer invited me, and your brother to his game before I took flight and—"

"And I was right!" Bova interrupted the former Dragon King. Clenching his fist, he shot Danhauser a glare of determination. "You look well for dead, _rival_. I should have known that the void couldn't you, that's why you're my rival!

Danhauser blinked.

"Anyways," Diehauser trailed off, "your son can stay here if you wish, mom wouldn't mind." Tannin sent a thankful nod at his direction. Diehauser turned to his brother. "Now, since you want to practice now with our Clan trait, you'd have to complete my small challenge, if you succeed, I'll train you, if you fail… well…"

"What?"

"You'd have to wait until you turn 18."

"Wait, what?" Danhauser was shocked by the revelation, honestly, he wasn't _that_ shocked, because he knows that, sooner or later, he'll learn how to use Worthlessness—not at the same level as the Emperor, of course.

The problem here is, Danhauser is 15 years old. He can't wait _so_ much. He also needs the _physical_ training, the one where you sweat like a pig and lay on your bed with bruises. Diehauser is the _best_ solution for this, well, there's Gilles and Bova, too, but honestly, the former is more of swordsmanship than pure bare fists.

Bova, however, seems to be someone useful too for sparring, but knowing the dragon race, he wouldn't hold back, and even if Danhauser hated to admit it. He needed to start at the novice level.

"Deal?" The Champion spoke once again, mustering his strength to not grin in front of his brother.

"Deal." He's not going to back down, it may look stupid, but he had a plan.

Tannin boomed a laugh, startling Danhauser. "Hahaha! Not backing down, I like it!"

"Alright then, here's your challenge," Lord Belial coughed under his fist, "since you want to know how to control Worthlessness, first you need to start from level one—learning how to use _your_ demonic power."

"That's it?" Danhauser frowned, folding his arms. Demonic power… it was foolish to request immediate training on how to nullify abilities. First, he needed to understand how demonic powers worked in this world. He knows that Devils use their imagination to cast their powers and create wonders that'll make others gasp in awe.

Take Sirzechs' power of destruction as an example. He can convert himself into _the_ power of destruction, but the fake Lucifer lacks control over this form.

All in all, his training is starting right now.

"That's it," Diehauser confirmed, standing at Tannin's side. "You have until I come back from Rudiger's match. Good luck."

With that, Diehauser activated a teleportation spell, wrapping the Dragon Saint and Emperor, vanishing them.

Cleria whistled, finally making a sound. Facing both Bova and Danhauser, she grinned. "Well, I have to go, too. Need to look out for my territory in the human world, good luck, Danny," winking, Cleria also made a teleportation circle, sending her back to Kuoh.

"Shit." Danhauser cursed, "I was going to ask her how to control my demonic power."

Before Danhauser could swear more, an inhuman roar wrapped him back to reality. Turning around just in time to see the young dragon rushing at him, fist cocked.

"Woah! Woah! Woah!" Danhauser ducked the attack and jumped out of the dragon's reach, raising his hands to stop the overgrown lizard. "What's wrong with you?!"

"I can't take it anymore!" Bova shouted, dashing toward Belial. "My blood is boiling for a fight! I'm all fired up!"

"I lost my memories! I don't even know how to fight!" Danhauser exclaimed, dodging another punch.

"That's not an excuse!" Bova countered, readying his fist. "I've been waiting for two years to fight you once again!"

Danhauser clicked his tongue, taking a fighting stance—or so he thought—but stopped, Bova's words finally being scanned by his brain. _"Wait, two years?"_

Hearing Bova's battle cry was enough to force him to concentrate in the brawl, seeing how Bova was running towards him, sent chills down to his spine.

" _He's huge,"_ Danhauser studied his foe, knowing full well that he won't stop the dragon without at least doing some damage. _"Bova's swings are slow and easy to dodge, however, a hit by one of those is a guaranteed ride back to the hospital..."_

Taking a deep breath, he waited for the reptile to reach him and go for the counter. Danhauser was honestly, scared by fighting him, he's huge, powerful and looks threatening, befitting for a dragon.

Heck, this is his fist fight in both new _and_ previous life and his first challenger _is_ the son of Tannin? How unlucky—he thought.

Bova quickly stopped, flexing his legs and jumping with hands clasped. He finally reached down, using his dragon wings to reach the ground faster.

"Shit!" Cursing, Danhauser rolled out of the way, feeling how the ground trembled because of Bova's harsh descend. He gained the courage to stand up and try to land a punch on the beast, unfortunately, Bova was ready for this.

Spinning around, Bova slammed his tail on Danhauser's chest, making the Devil gasp for air and fly away from his opponent.

" _I can't believe I'm still alive after that,"_ Danhauser grunted, shakily standing up from the ground, his hand landing where Bova wounded him. _"It may be because of mom and dad genes."_

Looking up at the source of the trembling, Danhauser saw Bova running towards him, not giving him time to catch his breath.

" _And the doctor said, 'no harsh activities', how unlucky,"_ Danhauser sighed, dusting himself off. _"Bova seems to go for the same technique if I'm correct, then I know how to counter him."_

Danhauser was right, Bova went for the same move he used a few minutes ago. This time, however, Belial had a card under his sleeve.

Rolling, but this time, forward, Danhauser heard and felt the shudder from below, followed by a dust of dirt. He quickly stood up, looking downward, he grinned.

Raising his leg, he stepped on Bova's tail, _harshly_.

Bova roared in pain, turning half of his body around with his fist cocked backward, ready to send Belial flying once again.

Danhauser was ready, he jumped backward, watching how Bova's punch pierced the ground, scattering the thin grass all around the place.

It was his time to shine, Bova's face was in a good position to land a blow.

Dashing forwards, Danhauser now went on the offensive, nailing successfully a punch in Bova's cheek, shocking the purple dragon.

" _Well, that's new."_ Danhauser thought, feeling a wave pride slowly engulfing his body.

While the attack hadn't sent the dragon meters away, it was enough to knock him to the ground with a bruise ruining his right cheek.

He watched how Bova slowly stood up, his glare fixed on the small figure of Danhauser, making the latter sigh. This is not going to end in his favor if he was correct, dragons have something like a passive called Outrage, first seen with the Golden Monarch Dragon, Fafnir, who was ravaging Rizevim in their fight.

That move is powerful enough that Fafnir's wrath couldn't even be stopped by Ophis' clone, Lilith, who got blasted off far away than Team Rocket.

"That's enough," Danhauser spoke, making Bova's eyes widened in surprise.

"What?! Why?!" Bova asked, running towards him, "The fight was now starting to get interesting!"

"Well, sorry, but," Danhauser shrugged, "I need to start my brother's challenge, or else I'd never become strong."

Bova held back a pout, folding his scaled arms, the dragon growled. "That's not fair! I want to still fight!"

Ignoring the dragon's whines, Danhauser made his way back to the mansion. "Come with me if you want, I wouldn't mind your company."

Danhauser at first thought that Bova was going to attack him from behind, but he was surprised to see the dragon walk by his side, grumpy because of his fun getting ruined.

"Where are we going?" Bova demanded, looking down at Danhauser.

"To find my brother's queen," was the only response from Belial, earning a displeased grunt from Bova.

* * *

They failed.

Gilles de Rais was nowhere to be found.

They tried by unlocking different rooms, and even ask the servants if they've seen the butler wandering somewhere, only earning looks of apologies.

When they finally gave up on finding the former Marshal of France was the moment where Danhauser concluded that Gilles followed Diehauser as his Queen. He has an important duty to follow and one of them is standing by his master's side.

Danhauser along the way tried to see if he was lucky enough to find how to expulse his demonic powers by himself, unfortunately, he did not.

He'd even tried making the ridiculous poses such as spiderman's way of shooting his webs and the Kamehameha, which only succeed in making Bova laugh.

Speaking of which, he also made a small chat with the dragon. He didn't get a lot of information, but he now knows that the western dragon has two older brothers.

Danhauser asked if one of them is called Jango, he was disappointed by the answer.

"Where are we going now…?" Bova whines started to bloom, feeling bored by simply walking around the mansion. The purple lizard was honestly amazed by the size of this house, he sometimes even felt that they were walking in circles.

"To the last person who can help me," Danhauser said, frowning.

"Who?"

"My mother." Danhauser bluntly answered, now fully understanding Diehauser's scheme.

He could be paranoid too, but, it was suspicious that Cleria conveniently left when Diehauser disappeared, _and_ Gilles following the same trick.

It's obvious that Diehauser knows how their relationship is going and decided to change that, which, Danhauser is truly thankful for.

His mother, Calcabrina, seems to be a good person, and truly wished to properly carry a good conversation with her, but it was still difficult for him.

With Diehauser and Cleria it was different. He never had a brother or a sister and he always dreamed of having one, older or younger, it didn't matter for him. He also had a bunch of cousins, some of them he lived since childhood and others that he didn't even know they existed, so Cleria wouldn't be a problem at all.

But Calcabrina? That had been a problem since yesterday. He just wants to finish all this drama already.

Reaching their destination, Danhauser made a mental note to thank the servants who properly lent the direction to Calcabrina's room.

Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door, twice, expecting for her to answer.

…

"I don't think she's in the room." Bova scowled, folding his arms once again.

 **"On my way!"** They heard a muffled mature voice behind the doors.

Danhauser sent a look of 'you were saying?' at Bova. The dragon huffed, looking away with his scowl deepening.

They heard the shuffle behind the door, but nonetheless, the door opened, revealing the woman they were searching for.

If back then, Danhauser stated that Cleria was beautiful among the House of Belial. His mother would make him think twice now.

Calcabrina has smooth and pale complexion, wearing a royal dress and three necklaces with an assortment of beads around her neck that matched perfectly her beauty. As a Devil, she had the same youthful appearance of someone around her mid-twenties. Her long worn loose hair is black with red highlights.

" _Dad's a lucky bastard,"_ Belial thought.

"Dan…?" Calcabrina gasped in surprise, not expecting her child stand over her room's entrance. She addressed the dragon, "Bova?"

"Hey… mother." Danhauser smiled awkwardly, meanwhile, Bova simply nodded at her.

"Is something wrong, sweetie?" His mother immediately asked, "if you need any kind of assistance, do not hesitate to ask."

"Actually, I do," Danhauser started, watching how Calcabrina's red eyes were gleaming at his gray ones. "I want to learn how to use my demonic power."

Lady Belial tilted her head, "Is that so?" She received a nod from her child. Smiling warmly, she spoke, "of course, I can aid you with that, but let's not practice in the corridor, I don't want the servants worrying that we're under attack, quickly get in my room."

Without thinking twice, the dragon and the devil entered the room.

* * *

"Sorry for wasting your time with this, mother," Danhauser muttered, looking at her room with a pinch of interest, Bova standing behind him, doing the exact same thing.

Calcabrina waved off his concern. "You don't have to apologize, Dan, my duty is to look out for you, remember that."

Danhauser nodded at her words, slightly biting his tongue.

"You have an interesting room, Lady Belial," Bova commented, standing in front of a nearby painting, inspecting it. "Fitting for someone of your caliber."

"Oh thank you, Bova." Calcabrina pressed a hand to her cheek, flattered by Bova's compliment. "I assume your father is here, too?"

"Was." Bova corrected her. "He went to a Rating Game match with The Emperor."

"Ah," Calcabrina nodded her head, facing her quiet son once again. "Danny, do you know where our demonic powers come from?"

Ignoring the girlish epithet, Danhauser frowned, not remembering the Lights Novels explaining this. "From our body?"

"Which part of our body?"

"I don't know," Danhauser admitted, glancing at Bova to see if he knows something about this subject. He received a shrug from him.

"Of course," Calcabrina voiced out, harrumphing. "If it makes you feel any better, you were half right. Demonic powers come from our body, true, but a specific part would be our spirit."

"Our spirit?" Belial repeated, earning a nod from the mature woman.

"Yes, our spirit," she poked Danhauser's nose. "Let's make an example. You're a toy, but one that needs a battery to function properly."

"The battery is my spirit?" Danhauser stated the obvious, eliciting a hum of confirmation. "Following your example once again, I am a toy that requires a _battery_ aka spirit, then, my battery supplies me with electrical power in other words… demonic power?"

"Exactly!" Calcabrina clapped, "you're catching on quickly!" She turned serious once again, "demonic power _is_ fundamental to even the most basic spell. The only way to activate it is through the power of imagination and the power to create things, followed by a good sense, demonic powers can be measured and shaped to design wonders such as demonic bullets, defensive barriers and even creating illusions."

Searching for something, Calcabrina's eyes landed on a painting far away from the three.

Glancing back at the two children. She shot them a small grin before addressing once again the saddened portrait.

Taking a stance, Calcabrina pulled back her ring finger and her pinky, pointing at the drawn picture. A small magic circle formed at the tip of her finger, it wasn't gray as Danhauser expected, but the same color of her hair, black with red accents and in the center a capital 'M' in italic.

That was the crest of her former housecarl.

" _Speaking of which, from what family she belonged?"_

Danhauser train of thoughts came to a stop at the scene before him. It was _so_ fast, but the two youngsters caught the speed of the projectile, it was the same size of a paint bullet and its velocity similar to a real gun.

Slowly they looked away from Calcabrina's finger, now facing the unlucky target, they spotted the hole formed in the painting's forehead followed by a trail of smoke.

"That was _so_ cool!" Bova cheered, waving his pair of wings carefully, excitement once again filling his body.

Danhauser could only nod his head in agreement.

Resting her hands on her waist, Calcabrina faced the two toddlers with her chest puffed in pride. "Thank you," she shot her son with a wink. "Those are the many things you can do with your demonic power, Danny." Her face altered to one of a veteran. "Something you need to know is that demonic power is not visible to the naked eye unless it is highly concentrated or embodied in larger volumes." She paused, looking at her dear son with a serious expression. "Sweetie, are you ready to dominate your demonic power?"

"Yes, I am," Danhauser answered, cracking his knuckles, while he didn't look excited, deep inside, his heart was beating like crazy, the spell was basic, but in his previous world, something like that was impossible!

His mother smiled at the response, "Excellent, I'll show you this technique and a defensive one, once you learned, you can train on your own or ask for some help, alright?"

"Alright," Danhauser nodded, "I'm ready, mother."

* * *

Calcabrina and Danhauser swapped places. He was now facing another clean painting, and his mother standing at Bova's side.

It has been an hour since the training begun, and honestly, he expected this to be far easier, he was so _damn_ wrong.

He followed her steps carefully. Step one involved shaping and forming a bullet, he succeeded on that level. The problem was the step two, freeing your demonic power.

Calcabrina advised him to send the energy around his finger and launch it, which he did, but unfortunately, that's where everything came wrong.

He felt a jolt of pain coming from the muscles of his wrist thus making him hiss in pain and drop his stance.

He sat on Calcabrina's bed, glaring at his aching muscle. The worst part is that he could see it, how his wrist was moving similar to the thrumming of his heart. It felt like a muscle strain.

Calcabrina assured him that he'd be fine, and after that, she started her role as a worried mother. She began scolding him for doing something reckless.

Bova acted as if he didn't care, but he'd send a nervous stare now and then, especially at Danhauser's wrist.

That's when she further explained that, the key to its use is not using a large chunk of demonic power, Danhauser should only summon the necessary amount of demonic power he needs to perform a spell. If he used more demonic power than needed, he'd smitten by immense pain _plus_ the fact that he'd quickly waste his demonic energy and get drained out faster because of his actions.

"If I don't use enough demonic power, then my attack wouldn't work?" Danhauser repeated.

Calcabrina nodded. "Correct. It'd just create problems in future fights," her look turned to one of concern, "are you ready to try it once again?"

Danhauser pursed his lips, but he still nodded, slowly standing up. "I'm ready."

"Okay," Lady Belial sighed, nervous of her son getting hurt again, "then try hitting a painting with a demonic bullet."

Nodding, Danhauser once again took a proper stance with his hand aimed at the precious piece of art.

"You can do it, damn it!" Bova screeched, trying to encourage him. "You're my rival, isn't?! Then prove it!"

Calcabrina simply crossed her fingers, watching Danhauser's back with a supportive look.

Danhauser meanwhile bit his tongue, his aim was perfectly fine, and he already shaped the bullet in his mind. He just needed to launch it with the help of his demonic power.

"Remember sweetie, you need to relax," Calcabrina reminded him, "don't think too much, just _relax_ , and _believe._ "

"Relax and believe…" Danhauser parroted, closing one eye to have a better aim.

Calcabrina and Bova saw it, the Belial gray crest forming in front of Danhauser's finger, the demonic power flowing towards his finger, giving him the ammunition to fire his attack.

And he did it, Danhauser shot the demonic bullet at the destinated target. This time he didn't felt pain surging from his limbs, or wasted for using a portion of his power. He simply followed his instincts.

Lowering his arm with a smile, he faced the two bystanders, ignoring the smoke coming from the painting's mouth. "I did it."

"Uwaah!" Danhauser jumped backward in surprise at Bova's sudden wail, scaring him. "That was superb! The way you stood! The way you glared at the portrait! You looked amazing!"

Danhauser felt his cheeks heat up. Because of lazy nature in his previous life, it was rare for him to earn a compliment from fellow classmates or even his family, but when he received one, he always stood quiet, not knowing how to respond.

The worst part is that the Dragon was _overdoing_ his praise.

"Calm down! You're making a scene!" Danhauser hushed him, feeling how his words weren't reaching Bova. "It wasn't _that_ great!"

"Are you kidding?! I'm already fired up! Let's fight here and now, rival!" Bova declared, already taking a fighting stance.

"Hold on a second! I—"

"The one with more broken bones lose!"

"Now, now. I don't want scandal in my room." Calcabrina stated, smiling at the dragon's fighting spirit. "I rather wish you take these outside, and when my son finishes with his training."

Bova crossed his arms with a childish scowl, sitting on the floor like a scolded child. " _Fine…_ "

Calcabrina's smile turned to amusement. She faced her son, her smile softening. "Good job, Danny, now that you learned how to use your demonic power for offensive spells, let's jump to the last one, this time summon a defensive barrier, do you want me to make a demonstration?"

Danhauser offered a cocky grin, his embarrassment gone, "not really, I've got this handled."

Calcabrina's eyebrow lifted up at the arrogant comment. "Hoh. I expected my baby to be silent and shy, but never foresee you as someone with confidence." She stood up from the bed, strolling towards the door. "I'll be right back, you keep working on the spell."

Hearing the door closening made Bova glance at Danhauser, carefully analyzing the Devil. "You should've asked for her help. I doubt you know how to make a barrier."

Danhauser waved off his concern, "You worry too much, Bova." Danhauser said.

"I'm not worried!" Bova yelled, breaking eye contact with Belial, finding the random wall interesting. "Just pointing something out!"

Danhauser smiled at his reaction. "Of course, Bova, of course." His smile dropped, turning serious. "Look, I know how to handle it because it's not different. To make an offensive spell I needed to imagine a bullet. To make a defensive spell…"

"…You need to imagine a shield?" Bova followed up, head tilted.

"That could work, too. I was going for the barrier."

Putting an end to the conversation, Danhauser followed his mother's wise words. Letting the demonic power flowing around him do its work, he loosened up, using the sufficient energy to cast the defensive spell.

"Bova, I need you to do something for me," Danhauser spoke, not moving from his place, not wishing to ruin his hard work.

"What is it?" Bova asked, lifting himself up from the ground, and marching his way towards the devil.

"Attack me,"

Listening Danhauser's order made Bova grin viciously, "Gladly!"

Unfortunately—for Bova— the punch got parried by the same gray emblem from before, it didn't even make it close to Danhauser's face. The magic circle as big as the dragon's fist.

"Alright," Danhauser nodded, mentally cheering at his success—and because he survived a punch of Bova. "Now, I need you to attack me from a different direction."

Not wasting time, Bova redirected his attack to Danhauser's stomach, suffering the same fate.

"Let's go for something big now," Danhauser took a deep breath, before nodding at Bova, "Use your tail."

Tannin's son returned the nod, walking backward to have more space, the dragon whirled around, his tail following closely from behind.

The tail finally crashed, not one or two or three, but _five._ Five magic circles protected their summoner, all of them lined up to match up in height against Bova's tail.

While the attack was successfully blocked, Danhauser felt the wave coming from the impact, making the latter take a step back.

"That's enough," Danhauser sighed, feeling how he lost another slab of demonic power, but not much to fall from exhaustion.

" _Amazing!_ " Bova gushed, "I never knew you could do such things with demonic power!"

Danhauser frowned, "You didn't?" He saw how Bova shook his head, "Isn't your father a reincarnated devil?"

"Yes, he is," Bova responded. "The dragon's pride is still in him, though. He prefers to dodge the attack or block it with his own body. Dad rarely uses demonic power as a last resort."

"I see," Danhauser frown deepened, he knew the tale of why Tannin turned himself into a servant of Mephisto Pheles.

It wasn't because Tannin felt pity towards the devil race. He did it to save his own race from extinction. Danhauser didn't remember the name of the dragons, but he knew they needed a magic apple to survive.

They heard the door's knob being twisted, turning around the two faced Calcabrina already closening the door with a single push of her hand, what caught Danhauser's interest, is that she did this without turning around.

Calcabrina stood there with a charming smile, and her eyes closed. She had an arm behind her back. She was hiding something—and damn well because the object was out of their sight.

"How is your training going so far, dear?" Calcabrina asked.

Still trying to see a glimpse of the object, Danhauser answered. "It's going great, in fact, I already know how to make my barrier, mother."

"Is that _so?_ " Calcabrina received a nod from Danhauser, her smile widened. "Perhaps I can see it by myself?"

"Sure," Danhauser shrugged his shoulders with his demonic power obeying his orders. "I'm ready."

"…Good," Calcabrina stretched her arm out, showing the audience the item on her hand.

" _Oh…shit,"_ Danhauser stared wide-eyed at the _weapon._ Holding it tightly around her finger rests a three-pronged spear, the color of the weapon was crimson.

Kicking off her high-heels shoes, Calcabrina threw them at her son's feet.

Danhauser slowly turned to Bova whose eyes are wide as dinner plates.

She took a fighting stance, grabbing the lance with both hands. "Are you ready?"

Bova moved out of the way, not wishing to be pierced by the weapon.

"Uh…" Danhauser trailed off, not knowing what to say.

Her smile morphed into a sadistic grin, ready to lunge at her son. "Don't _blink_!"

Danhauser never saw how from the entrance to the room to the other end his mother reached him in the blink of an eye, her spear pointing threateningly at his heart, then suddenly went for his head, and so on.

What astonished him the most was the speed of his mother. She's so fast that she left behind _afterimages_ of herself to confuse Bova and her child.

If it wasn't for Danhauser's spell shield, he'd be right now lying in his own pool of blood.

Finally, Calcabrina sighed, taking a step back to give her son some space to breathe.

"W-What was that?" Danhauser stuttered, still dumbfounded by Calcabrina's display.

Calcabrina didn't respond. She simply offered him a soft smile. Walking towards him, she lowered herself a little to be on eye level with the young devil.

"Congratulations," Calcabrina spoke softly, looking directly at Danhauser's wide eyes. "You learned how to use demonic power."

Giving her son a small peck on his forehead, she grabbed her high-heel shoes and walked barefooted away from the room, leaving Bova and Danhauser mind their own business.

.

.

.

"She…" Bova started, pointing at the place where she formerly was, "she was there… b-but then she went…" he pointed where Danhauser currently is. "There…"

"Uh-huh…" Danhauser bobbed his head. He's lost for words.

…

"That was _awesome!_ " Bova roared with enthusiasm, finally breaking out from his shock. "I could see it! The glint of dominance in those red eyes, her dangerous posture, and _her speed_! Your mother is amazing!"

"…" Danhauser didn't say a word, looking how the dragon continued complimenting Lady Belial and trying to imitate her movements.

Finally, Danhauser broke into a smile, looking at the door where she left. "You're right," his smile widened, "she's an amazing mother."

* * *

 **Phew! Done!**

 **Again, sorry for taking my sweet time to write the chapter.**

 **Anyways, not much to say in this chapter, to be honest, I just explained about demonic power and trained Dan on how to wield it.**

 **Also, in case if you people are worrying since I received a lot of PMs about this subject. Yes, Dan's going to have a peerage.**

 **-Guest's reviews-**

 **Spice- Glad you liked my story so far, have a good day!** **Cheers!**

 **Lurker- Me alegra que te interese mi historia hasta ahora, muchas gracias por tu apoyo, saludos!**

 **Thank you for your support guys, good day to each one of you and sorry if you find some glaring grammar errors.**

 **Cheers!**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Worthlessness**


	4. Worthlessness

**Chapter 4: Worthlessness**

* * *

Danhauser wished Cleria came back once again to the Underworld. Yes, her presence is a _must_ right now. She may be having the greatest day of her life with the humans. Hopefully, the exorcist that sentenced her execution isn't in Kuoh, yet. Back on track, it's a pity that Cleria had to stay one day here in the castle of Belial, she could at least stay for the whole week. Besides Diehauser, she was perhaps one of the most comfortable people he could properly talk without feeling awkward during a conversation.

Not only that, but Danhauser honestly preferred a beautiful woman waking him up harshly than an infamous killer that merely sat beside his bed until the younger devil awakened. Yes, that just happened a moment ago. Since Cleria doesn't live here, Gilles is now in charge of making sure that the Belial Brothers are awake for the morning and ready to continue with their interesting lives.

Which is weird—he thought. He understands why Diehauser has had to be awake since he's the current leader of the House of Belial, but Danhauser? He's honestly not going to school or doing any activities to help further the castle. Don't take him wrong. He doesn't mind waking up in the morning, even if he acts kind of grumpy during the first part of the day. Because in that way, he'd practice with his demonic power, either by shooting demonic bullets at a target or by blocking Bova's attacks with his insane barriers.

Indeed, since the day Bova knew about his 'rival' joining the world of the living once again. He'd take the chance to fly towards Diehauser's territory without asking for his father's blessing. Not that Lord Belial cared if the dragon stood in the backyard waiting for Danhauser to come down and spar, in fact, he'd find it amusing.

For Danhauser, however, it was not. Bova didn't hold back at all, and he went with differents types of techniques to catch him off guard and land a right hook at the devil.

Bova adores to play rough, that's a given. Danhauser doesn't share the same sentiment as the dragon, but he had taken a look at the bright side. At least he's putting in practice his demonic powers to counter Bova's blows and those hot flames.

While Danhauser is starting to grab a liking for the dragon, he's getting somewhat annoyed by Bova's stubbornness. He'd visited him like _three fucking_ times in a day. He cannot comprehend where Bova grabbed a lot of energy to continue fighting, the answer to that may be because he's a damn dragon and the youngest son of Tannin.

Today was not an exception, Bova had appeared, and the two started with the official routine. When their sparring finished—much to Bova's disappointment—Danhauser would go back inside the castle with Bova flying back to Tannin's territory, giving a warning to his rival that he'd come back for the next round.

He'd been practicing in his room for hours every day, wishing to sharpen his use of demonic power when the times indeed comes. He'd only go outside of his dormitory to eat and socialize with the family, and of course, train with Bova.

Today, however, was a beautiful day.

"First of all, let me congratulate you for manipulating your demonic power." Diehauser started, patting Danhauser's hair. "Say, did you learned by yourself or someone lent you a hand?"

Slapping Diehauser's hand, Danhauser responded, "mom helped me."

"…" No words came from the Emperor's mouth, looking Danhauser up and down with a blank look, trying to find any scar behind those clothes. He finally spoke. "Sorry, but did you said mother helped you?"

"Yeah," Danhauser frowned at his reaction. "Wasn't this your idea of mom and I getting along?"

"No," Diehauser shook his head, making Danhauser's eyes widen at his blunt answer, "while I was planning something to make mother and you reconcile. The idea of her training you had never crossed my mind."

Since the day when Danhauser received discipline about demonic power from Calcabrina, their relationship had moderately increased. They'd talked properly such as deeper information of demonic power, which his mother gladly answered, of course, being awkward in conversations, he'd just listen intently and ask questions to keep the tense silence away from the two devils.

He knows that their relationship is not one of mother and son yet, but they're going there.

"I'm impressed," Diehauser commented, hands inside his pockets. "To think that you'd survived mom's training. In the future, you should write a book about it."

"It wasn't _that_ bad," Danhauser added his two cents, standing up for her.

"Really?"

"Well," Danhauser pursed his lips, flashbacks of getting threatened by a trident clouding his mind. He scratched his neck awkwardly, "while _she_ took me by surprise… she did it for the sole purpose to keep my mind sharp and agile."

"Dan, what did she do?"

"She assaulted me with a trident."

"Ah, that's it?"

" _What's that supposed to mean…?"_ Danhauser watched how Diehauser waved off his answer. Closing his eyes the young Belial sighed, looking up at the Champion who was entertaining himself by looking at the livid forest. "Not that I want to put pressure on you, or ruin your peaceful moment, but when are we going to start my training?"

 **"Right now young master, heh,"** Danhauser had heard that dry and French voice before, the one that sent a chill crawl up his spine. Turning around, he spotted the butler walking towards the two with the same creepy smile he wears around him. Gilles' hands are carrying a small container that has the shape of a box of donuts.

"Damn, not you again," Danhauser voiced out his thoughts, after having that fucked up morning, the last thing he desired was finding Gilles around the manor.

Diehauser chuckled at his brother's expression. He didn't mind if he swore in front of him, Calcabrina, of course, didn't like hearing such words around the corridors, as a good older brother he had advised him to do it moderately _and_ defiantly _not_ in front of their mother. Poor bastard whoever Calcabrina found speaking the ancient tongue of sailors.

"I'm _so_ delighted you missed my existence, young master," Gilles cackled at Danhauser's glare, facing his entertained King with respect. "Master, I brought the materials to start the exercise."

"Excellent. Thank you, Gilles." Taking the box from Gilles' hands, the Queen bowed in respect before standing at his Master's side. "By the way, how was your contract with your client?"

"The usual thing, Master," Gilles drawled, seeing that the Emperor wanted to hear more, he added, "I made sure there were not bandits around the tribe."

"Good," Diehauser nodded, turning to the young Belial. "Alright, now that Gilles finally made it here, we can now begin the session."

"Wait, he's going to stay _here?_ " Danhauser pointed an accusing finger at the former Marshal of France who, in return, feigned unhappiness.

"Yes, I need him for some important things."

"If you get wounded during the sparring, do not hesitate to ask for my assistance, young master." Gilles chuckled at his sharp look, "I'd received compliments because of my outstanding medical skills, heh."

"How unlucky," Danhauser sighed, displeased, not believing the words of the former companion-in-arms of La Pucelle. " _Anyways_ , when are we going to start, brother?"

Gilles would send a teased in his way if it wasn't for Diehauser, who harrumphed quite loudly for their tastes.

Turning into the center of attention, Diehauser stood straight and moved his hands behind his back, with a stoic expression, he addressed everybody. "Good morning class."

…

"…Uh, no offense, but it's already afternoon." Danhauser pointed out, scratching his cheek awkwardly, "so it should be—"

"Good morning class."

"But—"

" _Good_ morning _class._ "

" _Good morning_." Danhauser heaved a sigh, finally giving up. Still noticing the deadpan stare, he added. "Professor Belial."

"Good morning, my students." Professor Belial greeted back, nodding at his _'students.'_ "Please my apprentices, take a seat."

Danhauser glared at the grass underneath him. He slumped into the soft pasture.

"Today, we'll discuss …" The _'teacher'_ offered an unnecessary and dramatic silence, mentally cursing for not bringing at least a small board and a chalk for the class. "… _Worthlessness._ "

Clapping, Diehauser enthusiastically rubbed his hands. Professor Belial began scanning his 'students,' trying to hunt the first prey. "Before we start class, does anyone has a question in mind? Remember, there are no mistakes, just happy accidents."

In the meantime, Danhauser tried to find a better position in the grass, waiting for the _'professor'_ to start the topic. He remained in silence for a moment, feeling how the absence of sound covers their surroundings. Finally catching the message, he groaned and took the bullet for the team. Hesitantly, Danhauser raised a hand.

"Excellent glad you're _so_ participating a lot today. What is your question, Dan?"

"Diehauser, are you ok?"

"…" the teacher froze on the spot, staring blankly at Danhauser's eyes. His loyal Butler, laughing at the unexpected comment.

…

He turned to his amused Queen, "You know what to do."

Danhauser blinked, "I'm sorry, but—!"

Before Danhauser could express his confusion, he felt something land on his hair. Slowly moving his hands to feel the object over his head, he gasped.

The Dunce cap smote him.

"That's what you get for being a troublesome child." Diehauser lectured flatly while using the scolding finger.

Danhauser sighed, adjusting his new hat, ignoring Gilles' grin.

"Anyways," the Champion coughed into his fist, "Since you're a member of the House of Belial, you have the ability Worthlessness, which, it allows us to cancel out the powers of people _and_ objects, making them unable to utilize their powers as long as they are under our effect." He paused. "Any questions?"

"I do," Danhauser admitted, raising his hand which earned him a 'go on' from the _'teacher,'_ "is the effect permanent, or it has a limit?"

"There's a limit," Diehauser answered, "the enemy cannot use the spell you rendered worthless for a few seconds. I'll give you an example. I have regenerative abilities, you use your powers and nullify my regeneration for six seconds. Three seconds had already passed, _however_." He raised a finger. "If you managed on casting a spell on me once again before the time ended, it would reset back to zero, and the cycle once again starts, do I make myself clear?"

Damnhauser hummed, scratching his chin, letting his brother's words sink in. Finally, he nodded. "Can I increase the time of my curse, to eight or maybe ten seconds?"

"Yes, you can, you only need to practice _a lot_ with our Clan trait." Diehauser shrugged, "take me as an example, mine lasts for an extended amount of time."

"For how long?" Danhauser asked, curious to know how much it'd take for Diehauser's curse to fade away.

Diehauser teasingly smiled, " _long._ " He turned serious once again, "there are spells or objects that you just don't negate for a few seconds, but _wipe_ _out_ _completely_."

"Such as?"

"…" Diehauser shut his mouth close. Taking the box away from his armpit, he shifted the package under a hand and moved it closer to his little brother. "Why don't you figure it out?"

Leaving his seat on the grass, Danhauser didn't take the small crate from Diehauser. He inspected it quietly, quickly spotting a _familiar_ emblem that resembles an orange phoenix encased in a circular shape.

" _Could it be…"_ Danhauser thought, opening the package. "Are these….?"

"Phoenix Tears." Diehauser interrupted him, shaking the box slightly and taking Danhauser's pointed hat. "The famous beverage that can instantly heal lethal wounds and reattach severed limbs."

"They are quite expensive too…" Gilles muttered under his breath, grunting.

"These potions are an excellent example of what I'm implying." Diehauser continued, paying no attention to Gilles' whines. "Once our abilities corrupt this potion, it'll lose its value."

Randomly grabbing a Phoenix Tear, he led the box to Gilles with the latter immediately snatching it from the Emperor's grasp. Diehauser closed his eyes and wrapped his fingers tightly around the vial.

Danhauser merely watched, amazement shimmering in his eyes. He saw how Diehauser's hand engulfed by the color of the Belial housecarl followed by a black tint. After a few minutes, the dark aura vanished, showing once again his fist unharmed and clenched around the small drink.

"Take a look," Diehauser opened his hand, revealing to the world his handiwork.

Nothing changed about the object, what truly changed resides in the bottle. Back then, the liquid debated between dark purple or crimson. Danhauser thought it'd switch to a transparent and nearly colorless substance, similar to water.

The development was far more than meets the eye, it was gray in color, proving that the complete change was a success.

"This will _never_ turn back to its previous form," Diehauser explained, "you know why?"

"No, I don't."

"Wrong answer." Once again, the hat landed on Danhauser's head, much to his dismay.

Lord Belial started. "The reason is that the Phoenix Tears instantly lose their power if they get contaminated in any way," he shook the vial gently, "this also goes for other types of potions made by humans, holy priests, alchemists and other entities. Elixirs are strict when it comes to adding ingredients because they _demand_ you to follow the recipe step _by_ step if you, of course, want the drink work correctly. If you add something that doesn't monitor the regimen, then the vial won't work."

"So if the recipe says something like 'add 5 grams of this' then I need to add that _amount_ accurately?"

"Exactly." The Emperor bobbed his head, "that's why potions are expensive because the dilemma to make one, the ingredients they ask, and the powerful effect the liquid hides."

"You know, I never expected you to know about this stuff, brother." Danhauser grinned, making sure the hat didn't fall off.

"Well, it's all thanks to Gilles." Diehauser nodded to the Queen.

"Oh please, I do not deserve the praise." Gilles waved off the flattery. "While I already knew things about alchemy and such, Master's Bishop is the one who exceeds about this subjects."

"We're avoiding the issue here…" Diehauser trailed off, rubbing his neck. "Anyways, now let's jump to the cons," taking the role of a teacher. He continued, "while our Housecarl trait is amazing, there are a few things you need to know, the essential key to this power is _knowing_ your enemy as yourself, you need to know the attacks before you can nullify them _and_ make contact with the enemy."

"With touch, you mean with my bare fists, or I can use other things?" Danhauser asked.

"I'll get into that, let me explain this first," Diehauser stated, earning a quick apology from his brother. "Don't see this power as something that it'd solve all your solutions." The Champion warned, "keep in mind that it only negates powers and that's it. It doesn't annihilate your foes like the power of destruction from the House of Bael, nor it burns them like the flames of the Phenex Clan, meaning that you'd need to learn how to use either a weapon or follow my steps from that part, or whatever suits your tastes. Yes, you can infuse our Clan trait to a weapon and demonic power."

" _By following his steps, he meant learning hand to hand combat,"_ Danhauser thought, clicking his tongue. Danhauser, of course, is going to train with the Emperor of the Rating Games in the arts of combat, plus, Danhauser has had Bova as sparring partner already, the difference between his brother and the dragon is one would hold back while the other one just adores punching things.

He also has had been practicing with his demonic power; maybe he can do the same as Diehauser, apply Worthlessness in his demonic power attacks to inflict damage while disabling any defenses the enemy may hold.

The thought of using a weapon wasn't a bad idea—he thought. Danhauser's mother could fill that gap, heck, Calcabrina had shown enough skills to handle a trident, and that type of weapon could be useful if Danhauser didn't want to stay close to the enemy and just go for the poke, or even if he didn't like it, ask the help of Gilles with the way of the sword, too. He just has to deal with the Queen's morbid humor.

However, since Danhauser's still not participating in Rating Games, nor danger is lurking around the corner— _yet_ —Danhauser could focus on one thing for the meantime.

"Ready to try it by yourself?" The voice of his brother snapped him from his daydreaming. Shaking his head, he saw in Diehauser's palm another Phoenix Tear.

Taking hold of the enchanted cup, he followed the same steps as the Emperor did, clenching it tightly.

"Remember, analyze the object in your hands." Diehauser reminded him, earning a nod from Danhauser. "Then by using the necessary amount of demonic power, use your imagination to cast Worthlessness."

"What should I imagine?" Danhauser asked, already sending a piece of demonic power in his grip. Since the day he understood how to control his powers, he loved the way it felt warping the aura around his hand or any part of his body. It was like burying your limbs in warm water.

"Think of the vial, but without value."

Danhauser nodded. _"Alright, we know that the Phoenix Tears hold a single tear that belongs to the Devils of the House of Phenex. They can heal wounds and reattach cleaved limbs. It doesn't restore blood loss and organ damage?"_ Danhauser bit his lip, trying to remember if there's something else, but stopped. _"I already mentioned what it could do, and the materials, that's enough."_

Once again recalling the well of energy residing within his spirit, he commanded it to act. It responded immediately. It was like if he just summoned a gray ball of fire rather than his house trait.

He couldn't hear it. His ability not even imitating the noise of burning flames or sparks crackling around his fingers. It was silent. Danhauser didn't feel Worthlessness, just his demonic power in his fist.

Worthlessness disappeared, like if someone blew off a candle, leaving his hand and the bottle clean from the gray mantra. Stretching his fingers, he inspected the Phoenix Tears.

Danhauser grinned.

Allowing Lord Belial and the Queen take a glimpse of his hard work, Danhauser held it from the tip of the cup, showing them the results.

"Nice job," Diehauser returned the smile, pleased of seeing the youngest Belial getting excited because of a small trick. "Congratulations, now you're a real Belial."

"I could get used to this," Danhauser chuckled, recalling Worthlessness in his hand and quickly dismissing it.

"Now that you used it on an object, now you'll use it on a person." Diehauser took a step back, hands inside his pockets."Go on, test it on me. Remember when you cast it on me, count to see how much it can stay in someone's body."

Nodding, Danhauser placed a hand on his toned stomach, something that perhaps half of the female devil population would envy to be in his place.

He once again channeled his nullifying powers, when he cursed his brother, Worthlessness brought a different effect.

The gray flames appeared, that's the only thing that didn't change, _however_ , once Danhauser took out his palm, something stayed behind.

Situated on Diehauser's stomach lays the crest of the Belial Family; it was the same size as Danhauser's head, and it looked like a tattoo.

He started counting.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

 _Boom._

Of course, it didn't explode, but it utterly shattered like a rock thrown into a plane glass. The interesting fact is when Worthlessness splintered; it didn't make a slight sound to signalize its disappearance.

"Five seconds," Diehauser once again spoke, making Danhauser look up to him. "Your Worthlessness lasts for five seconds."

"Is that a good or bad thing?" Danhauser tried to make eye contact with him, but his brother is _huge_ , he needed to take a few steps back to look at the Emperor dead in the eye.

Diehauser rolled one shoulder. "It depends on how you look at it."

Danhauser frowned. "I see." Suddenly, he felt the Dunce cap getting pushed away, replaced by a soft hand.

"You did great, Dan." Diehauser congratulated on his achievement, ruffling his gray mane. "Training is over. Now go take a rest and a good sleep, tomorrow is going to be a new day for you."

Danhauser curved a brow, this time not pushing Diehauser's hand away. He couldn't help but blurt the first question in his mind. "Why?"

Diehauser smiled. "Because tomorrow, you're going to school."

"I repeat the same sentiment." Danhauser harrumphed, before looking at Diehauser with disbelief. " _Why?_ "

Diehauser scoffed, arms folded. "What? You thought that you'd slack off in our castle?"

"Hold on a second! I am _not_ slacking off!" Danhauser retorted, triggered. "For your information, I _am_ practicing with my demonic powers, _plus_ sparring with Bova, and now that I'd learned my House Trait, I _plan_ on focusing on that matter."

"Well, you better add a fourth thing to your schedule," Diehauser commented, unfazed. "It's no good for you to stay in the manor for _so_ long."

"…" Danhauser stood silent for a while. He's not going to fight because of something silly. It was like a prophecy for the toddler. He's a child of a great house whose rank is King, _of course_ , he'd attend to a building that offers a system of education for the toddlers with a high ranking status like him.

Danhauser didn't mind learning. The issue was the Academy that he's going to enroll, he didn't care which one or the positive feedbacks it received from either the students, parents, or government. He preferred to have a personal teacher that could teach him in the castle. Being surrounded by children when he'd always been awkward around people made him feel dizzy, and since this is _not_ the human world, _but_ the underworld, acting like a noble is a _must_ in the pavement of Hell.

"…Fine." Danhauser sighed, not spotting a solution to escape from this rabbit hole.

Giving a few pats of comfort, Diehauser took his hand away. "Glad you didn't start a pointless wrangling. Your mother is the one who will escort you there and pick you up, sometimes I'll go, or someone from my peerage will fill the spot, if Cleria decides to stay here for a while, then she'd do the same thing." He nodded at the box. "Keep the healing potions, use them _wisely_."

Danhauser nodded and picked up the powerful vials. Waving goodbye, he marched towards the manor.

"That went better than I expected," Gilles commented, watching how Danhauser disappeared inside the building.

"Likewise. I thought that this would've turned into a childish brawl." Diehauser sighed, rolling a shoulder. "He always loved discussing even for the smallest things. It seems that he still wields that troublesome tongue, but he knows how to handle it now."

"He still does not agree with the idea, though."

"I know, but slowly he'll get used to it."

"Now that that is out of the way…" Gilles trailed off, facing his King. "I have received news from your father."

"… What is it?"

"Apparently his job is weighing him down," Gilles responded, flexing his fingers, breaking eye contact. "It seems that he postponed the visit for another occasion."

Diehauser grunted, dissatisfied. "Couldn't he just ask for a few days like _I_ just did?"

"You need to understand that his duty on the Citadel is way harsher than yours in the Ars Goetia, Master." Gilles offered a look of empathy at his savior. Suddenly, he softly smiled. "I have good news, however."

Diehauser didn't say a word, only shooting him an arched eyebrow. Gilles grinned. "Your uncle is paying a visit."

Diehauser scoffed, folding his arms. "The ugly geezer?"

The French chuckled at Diehauser's words, seeing how the Emperor was holding a smile. "Oui, oui. That one, should I inform Lady Cleria and Lady Calcabrina? You know how the former adores his presence."

"And how the latter gets annoyed because of his antics," Diehauser broke into a smile, lifting a finger. "Do so, and while you're at it, knowledge mom about her taking Dan to school."

Gilles once again bowed like a real nobleman. "Your wish is my command, master." Nothing else to add, de Rais walked away from his master, dropping out of sight.

"How troublesome." Diehauser face palmed. "I also have business with Rudiger, whom never gave an appropriate date for his visit in my territory and Dan's Evil Pieces." He remembered contacting the Maou Beelzebub with the latter stating that Danhauser can come to Satan's territory to the register himself as a King, after all, Danhauser was supposed to earn his pieces at the same time as the previous generation. A good example from the former group of infants is the infamous defected child of Lord Bael.

"Better make an appointment with Beelzebub, then." Diehauser scratched his neck, joining the rest of his family inside the Belial Palace.

* * *

Today was the day where Danhauser was going to get signed with a bunch of toddlers.

Danhauser was still nervous, tensed on getting to know other kids of high-class rank that may act like their parents, no need to go further on that subject.

Walking on the streets of the current capital of Satan—Lilith—was Danhauser with a backpack, grasping his mother's hand tightly while looking at the buildings with a peak of interest, trying to find something to distract him away from the anxiety building in his heart.

Calcabrina whose glance didn't break away from her front, trapped in her thoughts. She didn't take the news of her son attending a school very well. Thankfully, she didn't throw a drama discussing with her eldest son—Diehauser—but the growls and curses mixed in the conversation. It was true what Lord Belial told her, Danhauser sooner or later was going to be the Head of their family.

However, she offered the same idea that Danhauser had yesterday, find a private teacher so his son could learn in their territory. Diehauser being stubborn dismissed the idea.

To keep it blunt, she's scared. Even if she didn't have the chance to attend in one, she knew a lot of them. Schools, for her, are a perfect way to corrupt the mind of a child. Just think about it, the brats learned by the actions of their parents and heavens knows how the parental figures treated their maids and butlers in front of their offspring, sooner or later, they'll follow their actions and bring them to the Institute.

She didn't want her son to act the same way. She accomplished in raising Diehauser as the way he is, a gentleman who doesn't discriminate other devils regardless of their background, and she's proud of her hard work.

Danhauser… Calcabrina never had the chance of raising him at all. Her husband had taken him to where right now he works and even lives. During that time, she missed seeing her son. She never saw him give his first steps or learn how to fly with his wings. She felt like her other half vanished.

Diehauser knew of her depression during that time. He'd called his father to bring his younger brother for a visit. The father had reluctantly accepted. That lifted Calcabrina's spirit to no end.

She'd made sure to have everything unique and extraordinary for the visit of the two males that filled her heart with joy. When they had reached the entrance, she was greeted by their sight.

The happiness, however, jumped out of the window.

Since that day, she felt distanced with the young Belial.

And she hated that, she hated herself of seeing her baby as…

as a…

Calcabrina shook her head, tightening her grip around Danhauser's hand. _"The past is the past."_ Calcabrina took a deep breath. _"This time, I'll make sure to raise you well, I swear on my life."_

"Is something wrong?" The voice of her son brought her back to reality. Blinking, Calcabrina glanced down at her son who is as wearing a look of concern.

Calcabrina softly smiled. "Nothing is wrong, sweetie. Why you ask?"

"Well, your grasp hardened a little," Danhauser trailed off, scratching his cheek with his free hand.

Her eyes widened. "Oh, I'm sorry!" Calcabrina softened her handgrip. "I didn't mean to do that. I was contemplating."

"About what?"

Those formers years of fighting during the war between the Old Satans _and_ Anti-Satan Faction indeed paid off, or else, she wouldn't learn how to keep her emotions under control.

Her smile turned into a small grin, followed by a wink. "When you turn eighteen, I'll tell you." Seeing her son pout made Calcabrina stick out her tongue playfully.

After that, once again silence. It wasn't awkward as the previous ones. This one was refreshing. Calcabrina would ask a question here and there, one of them involving Danhauser's training in the arts of Worthlessness.

"You know that you need to learn something else, don't you?" Calcabrina cooed, seeing how the two of them were nearing towards the school.

Danhauser frowned, looking down at his small shoes. "Yeah, I just don't know what."

"Then why don't you start by learning the house trait that you inherited from me?"

That made the child look up, wide-eyed. "Wait, I also have yours?!"

"Yes." Calcabrina hummed happily, ignoring the shocked expression of young Belial. "And this may sound egotistical, but I assure you. It'd match perfectly with your Belial trait."

"Why didn't my brother said a word of this or from _you_?"

Calcabrina giggled behind her hand. "Your brother was going to, but he thought that you'd rub it in his face when you find out."

"Well, _duh!_ "

Calcabrina laughed.

They finally reached the gates of the school, seeing how the kids went deeper with their parents made them realize that Calcabrina could also follow her son inside the building, much to her relief. Danhauser noted that there were two types of schools, the usual one that shares the same mechanism and requirements as a school from the Human World.

And the one that Danhauser registered as a member. Its function is to teach the future generation on how to understand the basics of the most played game around the Underworld. The Rating Games. Interestingly enough, the Rating Games Academy was close to the monument that functions as a replacement for the King Piece.

Danhauser was in the third year, meaning that the previous owner of this body passed through first and the second year with a bang. The only con that he spotted was that it's mixed with the same structure as the common schools, in other words, more school subjects filling his backpack.

Something that found Calcabrina weird is the lack of attention towards her son. No, she doesn't want her son to be the center of attention, but Danhauser brought back to the death isn't a subject to turn a blind eye. Perhaps the Maous silenced the news.

When they got to the Academy, they saw that there was no school today, it was only an introduction ceremony and in a way, a welcome party for those who successfully graduated. It seems a lot of them passed the second year. They're _a lot_ of them. It also didn't help that they were in a gymnasium of sorts. It was so difficult to walk and not get lost from his mother. She needed to move his son in front of her to make sure she didn't lose sight of him.

As they passed by, they couldn't help but listen to the chattering between children and the adults, some of them were normals talks, like introductions and pleasures, sometimes the toddlers would boast about their Housecarl, followed by their parents. Unfortunately, every noble had the same thought running in their head.

Marriage.

While Calcabrina sees this as a way to help the population of her kin grows. It still left her a sour taste in her mouth, how they took advantage of a ceremony that is supposed to socialize for the sake of favorizing their Clan via marriage that involved both son and daughter, sometimes the fathers would _even_ flirt with the single woman, just to add her to his harem.

She'd wished _so_ badly her trident was in her grasp; there are _so_ many perfects targets to practice her aim.

Danhauser wasn't blind about this, either. He knew that since he has the mind of an adult, but the body of a child, which, of course, made Calcabrina think he was still her innocent baby boy that didn't understand the true nature of Devils. He also hated the sound of this place; it seemed like a global market. He hates loudness. He prefers the sound of silence.

A few would approach Calcabrina and Danhauser but immediately changed their direction after seeing Calcabrina's glare. In the end, mom and son walked towards the back of the gym.

Taking a seat with her son, Calcabrina sighed. She wished this ended _so_ badly.

"Hey, Mom are you alright?" Danhauser asked, obviously knowing the answer for that.

Calcabrina forced a smile. "Yes, I am fine. Forgive me if I don't look excited, I just didn't have a good morning."

"…" Danhauser stayed silent, knowing full well that she was lying and that he couldn't force her to spit the truth, sticking to watch the crowd of urgent devils. Then, he remembered something. "Ah, by the way, mom?"

"Hmm?"

"We need to wear this." Danhauser took out name badges from his pocket, giving one to his mother. "It's just for today…"

"I-I don't need it." Calcabrina stammered out, making Danhauser raised a brow.

"Why?"

"If they want to know my name, they have to ask for it."

Before Danhauser could open his mouth, he stopped by a few the sudden sound of a microphone getting tapped, the sound echoing on the speakers. With that simple motion earned a total silence around the building.

Standing on the stage was a man who screams superiority with those noble clothes, and looked around his early or mid-twenties, light blue eyes matching with his slicked green hair. Lastly but not least, the aura that is sending chills to everyone's spines. It was so powerful that even his mother, Calcabrina, was wary of his presence.

Ajuka Beelzebub. A man of unimaginable power.

Eyeing the group without wearing off that enigmatic face of his, Ajuka addressed the large assembly. "Greetings, young ones, and their parents. I welcome each one of you to the Rating Game Academy."

He paused.

The Satan's face hardened. "I'll make this quick. You have joined in this new generation to learn on how to act as a King for your Peerage—to grind your knowledge and learn from your errors. When you finished, you will lead those people who are prepared to follow you. Unfortunately, I lay my eyes on each one of you, and I only found hungry, thirsty, _obsessed_ people with raw power and energy, lacking a purpose, direction, and destination."

Everyone started whispering among themselves, baffled by the Maou's blunt words. They were expecting a warm welcome, followed by a 'congratulations' for making it this far because of their knowledge and sheer effort.

They weren't expecting the bitch slaps.

"Each one of you presumes that your Clan's status will save you from this, if so, then, please don't dare to take a step to the Institute. Leave those seats for the Devils who have a clear sense of purpose, a clear sense of direction and a clear picture of the destination."

And with that, Beelzebub stepped off of the stage. Leaving all the audience completely dumbstruck.

"That was… cold." Commented Calcabrina, scowling at Ajuka's choice of words.

 **"Indeed."** Calcabrina was expecting a response from her child, but she never foresaw a female voice invading the conversation. "I hope Lord Beelzebub's harsh words doesn't affect the children negatively."

Looking at the owner of the voice, Calcabrina found a woman sitting on her right side. She looked around her thirties with a beautiful dress, short black hair and emerald eyes.

Besides this woman was a rather gloomy child, whose eyes are shadowed by his black hair.

"I'm sorry, but do I know you?" Calcabrina asked, looking at the woman cautiously.

The woman smiled. "Oh, where are my manners?" She coughed into her fist, extending a hand. "My name is Misla Bael, a pleasure meeting you…?"

Calcabrina blinked in surprise, followed by Danhauser. She knew about the woman in front of her, just as her surname implies, she's a member of one of the highest-rank Clan amongst the Ars Goetia, holding the rank of Great King.

Not even her Housecarl is superior to hers.

Danhauser on the other hand, knew of her _a lot_.

" _Then that boy is the future strongest youth?"_ Danhauser peeked at the ebony haired child, who was finding his pair of shoes way more interesting than this obnoxious place.

"Calcabrina." Lady Belial took hold of her hand, accepting the handshake. "Calcabrina Belial."

Misla's eyes widened in surprise, glancing down at her hand. "Oh my," she was left breathless, breaking the grip while rubbing her now sore hand. "I wouldn't imagine meeting someone like you in a place like this, no offense."

"None taken."

"That'd explain such grasp of yours, too, Lady Belial."

Calcabrina gasped slightly, a pink tint adorning her cheeks. "I-I'm sorry, I-I wasn't aiming to-!"

Misla laughed at Lady Belial's reaction, waving off her apology. "No need to apologize, just trying to break that stoic mask of yours, dear." She moved closer to Calcabrina's face, surprising the latter. "I assume you also brought your child to the ceremony?"

Calcabrina just nodded, still flustered.

Misla's eyes sparked at her answer, her spirit lifting with hope. "Oh! Where is he?"

Calcabrina's shyness completely dissolved, she shot Misla a warning glare. " _Why?_ "

Misla wasn't affected by the sharp look; surprisingly, her smile widened a little more. "Well, everyone needs a friend, right?"

Calcabrina's gaze didn't falter by Misla's response, she slowly scowled, trying to see behind that smile of hers. Her eyes are instinctively wandering to the quiet boy at Misla's side.

…

"Introduce yourself, sweetie." Calcabrina moved her son forward, still looking at Misla with wary eyes.

"Uh, right." Danhauser coughed in his hand before bowing slightly at the two. "My name is Danhauser Belial, pleasure meeting you two."

"You wouldn't be the one that…" Misla trailed off, knowing full well the news.

"Yes, he is," Calcabrina answered for Danhauser.

"I see," her smile returned, this time brighter than before. Grabbing the hand of her son, Misla moved him forward, patting his head softly. "This is my baby boy." She glanced down at her 'baby boy' "Sweetie, say hello to Prince Belial."

The future strongest youth looked up, his violet eyes glaring at Danhauser who was waving back with an awkward grin.

"Tch." Misla's son clicked his tongue, looking away harshly, surprising the three.

"Sairaorg!" Misla chided at her son, seeing no reaction coming from Sairaorg, she continued. "That's _not_ how you should treat the other children!"

"…" Sairaorg clenched his fists.

Misla faced Danhauser a look of remorse ruining her features. "I… I apologize for my son's behavior, please understand that he'd been through a lot the previous semesters. I hope you don't hold any grudge towards my Sairaorg."

Danhauser only nodded at her apology; his eyes still focused on the frustrated Sairaorg.

 **"Lady Belial?"** Another voice jumped in the exchange; everyone turned around to see the outsider.

It was Ajuka Beelzebub.

"Y-Yes?" Calcabrina gulped, tensed at seeing the man she fought against standing in front of her.

Ignoring her frightened look, Ajuka continued. "I hope you don't mind me plug into the conversation, but I need to speak about your son's Evil Pieces." He faced Misla. "Privately."

"Oh! Of course, of course…" Misla sighed, standing up from her seat and taking hold of Sairaorg's hand. "We were just leaving already." She smiled at Calcabrina. "Goodbye Lady Belial, Prince Belial it was great socializing with the two of you…"

Misla acted quickly by walking away from the small group. Danhauser tried to say goodbye to them, especially at Sairaorg, but the broken child was getting scolded by his mother because of his previous actions.

"Anyways." Ajuka harrumphed, getting the attention of Danhauser. "I discussed with Emperor Belial yesterday about your son's lack of Evil Pieces; I encourage your son to fetch them, they're essential for the Rating Game Institute. If he doesn't, he won't participate in the school."

"I see…" Calcabrina bit her lip. "Is there still a chance for my son to retrieve them?"

"Luckily, yes." Ajuka offered a small smile. "He just needs to touch the monument to sign him up as a King of his peerage and recoup his Evil Pieces."

"And that's it?" She received a nod from the green-haired Devil. "Alright, when can we do this?"

"Tomorrow would be my suggestion," Ajuka answered. "If you feel fine about it, of course."

"…" Calcabrina looked at the floor with a frown, then turned her gaze to her son, who was staring back at her with hidden excitement.

Calcabrina smiled before facing the fake Beelzebub, nodding. "Tomorrow it is then."

"Excellent." Ajuka looked at the watch on his wrist. "I have to go; I'll inform Emperor Belial and give him the hour that we can start tomorrow."

"Of course, thank you, Lord Beelzebub." Calcabrina bowed with respect, followed by Danhauser.

"…" Ajuka only nodded, turning around and leaving mother and son mind their business.

" _Yes!"_ Danhauser cheered mentally, fist pumping.

"I see someone's excited," Calcabrina noted, giggling at Danhauser's goofy grin. "I wonder why…?"

"I'll finally receive my Evil Pieces!" Danhauser exclaimed, facing his mother. "Isn't that cool, mom?"

Laughing, she caressed his gray hair, grabbing his small hand. "Relax, relax; you're making a scene."

"Oh sorry." Danhauser scratched the back of his head, the thrill still swimming in his veins. "I just want to form my peerage already."

"And I understand that." Calcabrina nodded, flashbacks of a small Diehauser acting the same. "You still don't know who to recruit, or you do?"

"Yeah…"

"See? First, you need to meet a lot of people and determine whether they want to join your cause." Calcabrina advised him. "If they accept, use the chess piece that they'd work better with." Calcabrina sighed. "Better get ready for tomorrow, sweetie. It's going to be heavy for you."

Not giving an answer, Danhauser merely sent a nod to his mother. Walking hand in hand, they left the piled up gymnasium.

* * *

 **Lurker: Jajaja me alegra que te haya encantado la madre, haver si este capitulo resuelve algunas dudas tuyas. Gracias por la review!**

 **I think this is my longest chapter. Sorry if it bored you, if it did and make it so far, you deserve a damn medal.**

 **Welp, that's it for the chapter, now Danhauser knows how to summon Worthlessness, now he needs to learn how to** _ **render**_ **other abilities into Worthlessness.**

 **Later in the future, he will learn his mother's clan trait, not yet, but later.**

 **And we met with the future strongest youth, Sairaorg Bael.**

 **Something that I want to point out. Demonic power =/= Magic (Magicians)**

 **I'm saying this right now because of my foolishness. I thought the two worked the same, and in a way, that physiology of mine ruined something of my fanfic. Yes, you can laugh at my intelligence.**

 **Good news, I solved it. Yay.**

 **Next chapter you can guess what's going to happen, if you don't, then I'll say it.**

 **Evil Pieces. Yeah, finally.**

 **If you see any grammar errors please tell me, I don't want to turn you blind, guys.**

 **Anyways, I appreciate the support guys, see you in the next chapter.**

 **Cheers.**

 **Trivia: Diehauser's name is a German word of Die Häuser when you translate it you get "The Houses" maybe a nod that he's the current leader of The House of Belial?**

 ***Removes tinfoil hat***

 **Wait!**

 ***Puts back on tinfoil hat***

 **When you translate Dan Hauser, you get: "Home".**

 ***Removes tinfoil hat***

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Evil Pieces.**


	5. Evil Pieces

**Chapter 5: Evil Pieces**

* * *

The morning was not different from the previous days. It was the same routine he had in his previous life, soar up from the bed, only to once again wheeze out under the pillow, get dressed, take a bath, eat, and grab only the useful things for school.

Unlike most children that'll attend the same academy as Danhauser, the latter had to wake up earlier to fetch the thing that'd allow him to become an official student of the Rating Game Academy, but also, play in the future the most famous game around the Underworld.

It was a long ride, even if they took the private train in which Diehauser stated it was the fastest train they had available. The Emperor joined Danhauser only to support him when he signs himself up as a new King, Calcabrina also joined her two children as well. Leaving the Belial Castle under the hands of Gilles de Rais.

The route hadn't changed at all; the monument's located behind the school, or more particular, the backyard of the school. During their time inside the train, they would talk about small topics such as the Mutation Pieces and the Unused Pieces. Danhauser knew a lot of it since he remembered seeing it in the Anime, where Gasper made his debut as Rias' Mutated Bishop.

The Champion himself advised him to _think_ before reincarnating someone into a fake Devil, specifically if Danhauser was about to use the strongest piece of the board. The Queen.

Diehauser has had a great Queen, even if Gilles's a creepy bastard. If Danhauser remembers very well, the former Marshal of France had fought in the Hundred Years Wars. During his prime as a human, he'd been a _leader_ in the French Army, he knew how to master the way of the sword, and when Joan of Arc had burned at stake, he'd started to practice the arts of alchemy and demon summoning.

Maybe that's how Gilles had met Diehauser? By accidentally summoning the Champion, similar how Sirzechs' Knight had unintentionally conjured the Crimson Satan?

Back on topic, Gilles filled all the holes correctly, he knows how to command when Diehauser isn't around, he knows how to handle a weapon, he knows magic, and Danhauser wouldn't be surprised if the bastard can withstand a lot of damage.

In other words, Gilles de Rais is a jack of all trades.

Once the train stopped at the station, the three of them had to make their way towards the still closed gates of the school. The streets were empty since it was still morning. In a few hours, the boulevards around going to fill up. Danhauser had night vision thanks to the benefits of being a Devil, but even then, he could feel the moon glaring down at them, hiding somewhere in the purple sky.

That's something that irked him. The night vision is so uncomfortable for Dannhauser. He wasn't used to it, yet. Even he takes a lot of time to fell asleep just because of that characteristic of his. While it's useful, he sometimes wished that there'd be a turn on or off button somewhere.

They finally reached the closed gates, standing there was the Maou Beelzebub staring at the watch around his wrist with a frown, under his arm there was a silver box, something that made Danhauser grin in anticipation. Hearing the sound of steps closing in, the Maou looked up, and nodding; he lowered his arm.

"Emperor Belial," Ajuka spoke once the three Belial's neared him.

"Maou Beelzebub," Diehauser bowed his head in respect, followed by the mother and toddler. "I hope we didn't waste your time waiting for us."

Ajuka made a quiet sound with his nose. "Not at all." He turned to Calcabrina and Danhauser, addressing the two. "Lady Belial, Prince Belial."

"Lord Beelzebub." Calcabrina greeted back with Danhauser nodding at his direction.

"Since the gates are not open, yet. We are going to use my teleportation circle to reach our destination." Ajuka explained, stopping to see if there was any objection, seeing none, he continued. "So please, I encourage keeping your limbs inside the teleportation spell while I am casting it."

Danhauser winced, not because of the dull words, but because of the warning, it seems that Ajuka passed through this either with himself—which he doubts—or with comrades during the Devil Civil War.

Witnessing how Diehauser was the first one to take the first step, quickly Calcabrina and Danhauser followed from behind, not wanting to waste time.

Once the three of them moved closer to the Super Devil, Ajuka nodded and chanted the spell, vanishing them from the school's entrance.

A green light surrounded the open field and shaped the magic circle of Beelzebub; three figures stepped away from the circle.

"We are here," Ajuka commented, walking forwards with Diehauser and Calcabrina following suit.

Danhauser stood still for a moment, feeling a chill run down his spine, hugging the backpack tightly around his arms.

 _"Holy shit!"_ Danhauser cursed mentally. He never expected to feel this _way_. He thought that teleporting to another location would feel just as the futuristic movies; it was a tugging sensation, a 'pop,' and a brief but intense period of disorientation. While it wasn't so fucked up, the effect was still unexpected, either he liked it or not, he'd need to get used to it.

 **"Is something wrong?"** Danhauser heard a muffled voice inside his backpack. Glancing down, Belial saw how the school bag opened up, revealing a purple head, the creature's size similar to Asia's dragon, Rassei.

"It's nothing, Bova," Danhauser answered, resuming his small walk.

Since the moment Bova found out that his rival is going to attend school, the reptile was bitter and demanded Danhauser to take him with him. Prince Belial was reluctant at first, but after having a debate with his brain, Danhauser accepted, earning a happy roar from the dragon. He was honestly surprised when he knew that Bova could alter his size to that of a small dragon.

Danhauser hadn't heard any complaints coming from Tannin when he knew about his child invading the Emperor's lands, but knowing full well the former Dragon King, Tannin may have apologized with Diehauser because of his hatchling's intrusion. Diehauser, on the other hand, shrugged it off.

The worst part is that Diehauser and Calcabrina don't know about Bova residing within the backpack.

"Hey, rival I'm hungry." Danhauser heard Bova's stomach growl, proving that he wasn't lying. "Can I eat your food?"

"No." Danhauser hissed, wincing after hearing Diehauser called out for him. "Don't touch my food. The maids worked hard on cooking it."

"It's going to get cold." Bova pointed out. "That's wasteful. I hate when my food is cold."

"First of all, this is _not_ your food!" Danhauser sharply whispered, hoping either the Maou or his family hadn't heard the discussion. "It's mine! You should've eaten something before paying me a visit!"

"Why are you greedy?"

"I'm not greedy. I'm just pointing something out." Danhauser countered, keeping the backpack closer to his chest. "Look, I'll share some of it with you, but you'll have to wait."

"Fine…" Bova reluctantly complied, snorting, apparently not satisfied with Danhauser's answer. Nothing else to add, the small dragon submerged once again and joined the piles of book and utensils, trying to find a comfortable spot.

"Here we are." Danhauser had to look up at the Maou's whisper. He was lucky enough to hear him talk.

Danhauser whistled at the sight.

While Danhauser expected to see a forest—since the Underworld is made of pure landmasses and lacks oceans—he never thought it'd be a beautiful sight to behold. Green, deep, dark, light filtering through the top branches, crackling branches every time he took a step forth. In the center of the paradise stands an ancient relic that honestly didn't fit in the forest. It's a square pillar made of stone with a tapered top forming something like a pyramidion, on the center it has weird symbols, that Danhauser deduced that they're emblems from different House Pillars.

"This is the monument." Ajuka broke the peaceful silence, turning around to face the three, especially to Danhauser. "By touching the pillar, you'll register yourself as another King."

"I see," Danhauser replied, eyes still fixed in the masterpiece. "I have a question, though."

Ajuka's brow arched. Nonetheless, he didn't say a word, letting the toddler ask his question freely.

"What would happen if this gets destroyed by someone?"

"That ' _someone'_ would get immediately executed." Ajuka bluntly responded, frowning. "Why? Do you have explosives in that bag of yours?"

"N-No!" Danhauser hugged his backpack tightly, earning a muffled squeal from the resident, thankfully no one heard it. "Just curious, that's all!"

"Hmm." Ajuka lifted a hand under his chin, suspiciousness framing his face. "You don't sound convincing. Should I worry that you may start terrorism in the future?"

"No, I'm not going to!"

"Then after class, you wouldn't mind speaking with the rest of the Maous and myself privately, right?"

" _What the hell?!"_ Danhauser took a step back at Ajuka's words. "I just asked a simple question!"

"An _unusual_ question from someone around your age." Ajuka corrected, his face not showing any sorts of emotion. "I expected something like the steps of signing yourself as a King, but lo and behold, the child asked me what happens when _someone_ destroys Devils property."

"W-What would happen to me, then?"

"It depends on your choice of answers." Ajuka's face hardened slightly. "Hopefully, you choose the right words."

Danhauser's mouth was agape at the blunt explanation of Beelzebub. He faced his mother, waiting for her to do express her opinion.

Calcabrina offered a sad smile, making him wince. "Just be honest during the interrogation sweetie, and nothing will happen."

Seeing his mother lacking loving support, he turned to the Champion. "Brother lend me a hand over here!"

"Hmm?" Diehauser looked away from the clouds, staring at Danhauser's eyes. "I promise that if somehow I have children, I'll name him after you."

"What?!"

"Maybe a cute girl."

Danhauser opened his mouth to start an argument for the sole purpose of saving his skin but stopped. He faced the hushed Maou—whose lips are in a thin line—with a blank expression. "You three are just teasing me, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Of course."

"It's tradition."

" _Assholes…"_ Danhauser took a deep breath, holding back the curse that circled his head, he never expected the Satan to know the ingenuity of teasing. He'd been described as someone humorless around the Light Novel, rarely offering smiles to the world, but enjoying provoking brats in that way? That's new.

"Answering your question." Ajuka started, his small smile still adorning his face. "Nothing dangerous would happen at all; we used this monument to know the status of all the Kings around the Underworld, if destroyed, then we wouldn't know what's the condition of each King unless we repaired the pillar and once again let the Devil register himself or herself as a King."

" _So they used it to know if they're alive or not?"_ Danhauser nodded at the explanation. He could see it since recently the Kings died because either an Angel or Fallen Angel ambushed them. However, this one is rarely used, because killing a Devil especially if said creature is a member of a famous house, it would be enough to sound the trumpets of war.

The most obvious reason is if the servants stabbed their master's back, easily embracing their new epithet as 'Stray Devils.'

Nothing else to add on the subject, Danhauser moved closer to the old pillar, warily moving his school bag on his back to not bother the dragon sleeping on it. He pressed his hand softly around the monument and gingerly poured a right amount of demonic power.

…

Danhauser hummed, curiously, pursing his lips, doing the same steps once again, seeing no change in the environment at all made him scowl slightly. "Am I doing it right?"

"You are doing it fine," Ajuka assured him, shrugging off his concern. "Take your hand off from the obelisk."

Danhauser obeyed, stopping sending pressures of demonic power around the colonnade and taking a few steps back to see if there's something different worth of his time. Where his hand once stayed, an emblem of the house Belial took its place.

"I was expecting flashy things," Danhauser muttered, slightly disappointed, not impressed by the alteration.

"Congratulations." Ajuka started, making Danhauser turn around just in time to see Beelzebub standing in front of him, his hands below a silver and metallic box. "You are now a King. Take it, your chess pieces."

Holding back the smile, Danhauser's heart starting to thrum wildly, excitement replacing the blood around his veins. He moved his hands where Ajuka's hands located, making the Maou carefully move his fingers away from the box, letting the toddler hold his priceless gift on his own.

"Your Evil Pieces are still deactivated yet." Ajuka watched how Danhauser ogled the box as a limited edition toy. "And the box won't open up until you send your demonic power on it, thus also activating your chess pieces."

"Alright," Danhauser murmured, taking a good grasp of his chess case. Before his hands could get coated with his aura, someone quickly took the case out from Danhauser's grasp making the latter yelp in surprise. Frowning, he faced the thief who's waving the container with a hand, the other resting above his waist.

"Sorry, but I can't let you do that yet, Dan." Diehauser apologized, seeing Danhauser's frown deepening and asking for an explanation, he answered. "It's… a tradition between us, your uncle is paying us a visit and Cleria is coming, too."

"Tradition? About what?"

Diehauser offered a small smile. "You'll see."

Grunting, Danhauser folded his arms, sighing. "Can I at least take my Evil Pieces with me during school? I need them to prove the teacher I have them already."

"Sure." Shrugging, Diehauser gave back Danhauser's belonging, scoring a small 'thank you' from young Belial. Carefully storing it inside his backpack, Danhauser entrusted Bova on finding a good place for the Evil Pieces.

"This is the time where I take my leave then," Ajuka spoke aloud, catching everyone's attention. "Good luck in school, Prince Belial."

Nothing else to say, Ajuka summoned his teleportation spell beneath him, letting the green light consume him.

When Beelzebub's physical form left no trace was the moment when the jade light vanished, earning a sigh from Danhauser's mother. "It seems that I must return to the castle." Diehauser heard his mother once again sigh. "Who knows how Gilles is handling everything alone."

"Relax, I bet that Gilles is running everything smoothly," Diehauser assured her. "For good reason, he's the Head Butler of our fortress."

"I know, I know, but—" Calcabrina pursed her lips, quickly shaking her head. "Matters not, I should stop worrying too much, it's just going to make my hair turn gray."

"What's wrong with having gray hair?" Diehauser muttered, offended.

"Yeah what's wrong with that?" Danhauser added his two cents, frowning. "There's nothing on having gray hair, you know? I heard those with gray hair can connect to the heart of Zen easily."

"They're also irresistible to the opposite sex."

"Now, now calm down you two!" Calcabrina laughed behind her hand, cleaning her throat. She faced her youngest son, smiling. "We should get going; school is about to start."

"It's still early, though." Danhauser glared at the purple atmosphere, proving his point.

"The sun is already coming." The Emperor nodded at the horizon, pocketing his hands. "Half an hour and the Institute's gates are going to open up. Hopefully, you and Bova are ready for your first day."

"Yeah, you can—wait, what?" Diehauser's words finally reached the toddler's mind. "How did you know?"

Diehauser shot him a deadpan stare. "Well, you'd been whispering to that bag of yours for quite a long time…"

"…Plus the way it had shuffled awkwardly during our moment inside the train." Calcabrina chimed in, also wearing a blank look. "You two were not exactly… discreet about this."

Danhauser bit his tongue. Meanwhile, Bova grunted and tried to find a better position for him inside the bag, since they'd find them out, there's no point in hiding it anymore.

"Can Bova come with me?" Danhauser beseeched, keeping the bag closer to him. "Please?"

"How troublesome." Diehauser started rubbing his face with a sigh. "I'm sorry, Dan, but Bova can't—!"

"Of course you can!" Calcabrina clasped her hands together, smiling fondly at Danhauser. "Just make sure they don't see you around with him, alright?"

Danhauser blinked, trying to spot any hint of bad vibes on her face. "My brother was going to object… are you sure I can?"

Lady Belial scoffed, waving off Danhauser's uneasiness. "He's just jesting around, sweetie. Your brother doesn't mind at all." She faced her oldest son, her smile stretching. "Isn't that right, _Diehauser?_ "

"…" Emperor Belial didn't answer, merely returning the hard look.

.

.

.

"… I was just playing with you, Dan." Diehauser said through gritted teeth, not looking away from his mother. "Take Bova with you. I'm pretty sure _nothing_ is going to happen at all."

Danhauser flinched, seeing how they extended the staring contest, the boy gulped. "You know… I don't—"

"It's getting late, Dan. I'll teleport you right away."

"Wait! Hold on a sec—!"

"Have a great day sweetie~! Mom loves you~!"

Before Danhauser could voice out his opinion, a gray portal similar to Ajuka's appeared beneath him, ready to take him to the entrance of the school.

When the grayish light disappeared along with Danhauser and Bova, a pregnant silence soon followed after that.

"…Why?" Diehauser asked the question spinning around his head. "Why did you let him take Tannin's child with him?" The Emperor doesn't have resentment towards the dragon, but he didn't know how the professors and students would react having something not close to a Devil wandering in their campus.

Calcabrina's fake smile dropped, cleaning down her nails. "Isn't it obvious? It's to keep my baby boy safe."

"Safe? Safe from what?"

Her red eyes sharpened. "From _them!_ " Calcabrina pointed sharply at the school's direction. "I'm still _not_ convinced on enrolling Danhauser to a school!"

"I thought we just talked about this…?" Diehauser trailed off, pinching the bridge of his nose to hold back the frustration. "And what's wrong with the school? He's going to be free from harm, and there he can make friends."

"There it is. The _fucking_ problem." Calcabrina spat out, fists clenched at her sides. "Those are _not_ going to be his _'friends'_ Diehauser! They're going to use _him!_ "

"Mother, they're children. They'd never do that."

"Yesterday, I went to the small party thrown in the school with Danhauser, there I have seen it _everything_." She paused, clicking her tongue at the hateful memory. "They were already planning the wedding for their sons when the children were supposed to socialize and befriends each other."

"This is not their fault." Diehauser countered. "This is their parent's fault."

"Like father like son," Calcabrina replied, folding her arms beneath her breasts. "They're just going to act like their parents, Diehauser, and that attitude is going to unleash during classes and the recess and…"

"You think they're going to taint Dan with that way of thinking?" Diehauser interrupted, eyeing his mother who in return nodded her head. "Mom… I'm sorry, but I will not change my mind. Dan's going to attend school either you like it or not."

"But—!"

"Let me explain myself, please." Seeing how she pursed her lips with a sigh, he nodded in appreciation. "Thank you. You're right. They may act as their parents since they need to follow someone as an example and they don't know what's right and what's wrong with that age…"

Calcabrina frowned. "I think thirteen or fourteen years old is enough to recognize their wrongdoings."

"Keep in mind, that that's how their parents acted since they were still crawling, perhaps they thought acting with arrogance is the key to being known in the Underworld, or they're afraid of disappointing their parents." Diehauser pointed out. "Anyways, back to the point. Danhauser is different, remember when you'd told me how he'd learned how to use Demonic Power?" He received a hesitant nod. "There you go. Same thing goes with Worthlessness. He'd deduced how to use them efficiently. My little brother is smart."

Lady Belial cocked her head, confusion blurring her eyes. "I think I'm not following..."

The Emperor rested his hands on his mother's shoulders, squeezing them softly. "What I'm saying is that Danhauser is smart enough to take care of himself. He doesn't need to be babysat by you all the time. He's growing up, but you're preventing that." His stare softened. "Dan changed, mother. He's different. He wouldn't join those with the same philosophy as an Old Devil. I believe in him, do you?"

"I do!"

"Then let's just leave him alone." Diehauser moved his hands away. "If it makes you feel better, I'll let Bova give Danhauser company when he goes to school. I just need to have a small talk with Tannin about this."

Calcabrina bit her lip in consideration, after a few minutes of silence. She sighed, followed by a jerky nod. "You have a weird way of explaining this and I…I still am unsure about this, but I'll lend you my trust."

Diehauser smiled, relieved. "That's what I wanted to hear. Thank you." Glancing up, he frowned. "It's getting late. We should go back to our castle."

"Indeed. Maybe Cleria is finally back?" Calcabrina said.

"There's only one way to find out, let's go."

* * *

Danhauser was kind of surprised to see how many students were here. It seems that Ajuka's words affected some of them mentally. He'd thought that the place would fill the entrance with children waiting to be called by their future teachers. He honestly was relieved that the place was like this, he hated to be surrounded by people, it made him feel nervous.

Danhauser was curious. What happened if they don't go to school, especially this one? Are they not allowed to participate in Rating Games? Or they're going to be shunned down by the Underworld because they lack knowledge? He knew that the Evil Pieces sole purpose was to increase their ranks by reincarnating other beings into Devils, during that time, Rating Games didn't exist.

 _However,_ there are two characters which Danhauser assumed they hadn't attended to this school. Rudiger Rosenkreutz and Tannin. Interestingly enough, attending to school or graduating doesn't seem essential to compete in the Rating Games, as long as you have your Peerage, then you're ready to go.

Something that he knew is that not all Devils could assist to the Institute, only those whose Housecarl rank is top-class. In other words, those who are Middle and Low-class devils, are not allowed to step on the gates of this Academy. They're allowed to attend the other school, the one where they only show the basic subjects.

"…Danhauser Belial…"

Nodding, Danhauser quietly stood up and slump over where the other students were waiting. Two teachers were calling out their future students. Danhauser wasn't the first one to be mentioned, there'd been a few now standing at Danhauser's sides, at first, he wasn't paying mind to listen who are going to be his futures colleagues, but now that the teacher mentioned him, he was curious.

In the line where he was standing with the rest of the toddlers, he didn't saw a familiar face from canon.

"…Sairaorg Bael…" The teacher's voice had sharpened slightly. "Magdaran Bael… Seekvaira Agares…"

" _Ohh…?"_ Danhauser looked at Bael with curiosity, seeing how Sairaorg doubtfully moved closer to the line, yet a little far away.

" _Well, at least someone I know is in my class, cool."_ Danhauser cheered mentally, he didn't know why, but he was glad that someone from the Light Novels was in the same classroom as him, specially Sairaorg, since he knows that he'd become a damn tank during the canon timeline, and most importantly a great man.

What made Danhauser's interest peek even more was Magdaran, half brother of Strongest Youth. Shouldn't he be a year below them? Just like Rias and Sona? Or did he just jumped the semester with flying colors?

Seekvaira, well, he didn't know anything from her other than she's sharp-tongued and an otaku mecha.

 _Well, this already turned into an exciting semester."_ Danhauser smiled, there's nothing that could ruin this moment.

"Riser Phenex…"

" _Welp."_ Danhauser smiled stretched at the sight of the blond walking forward. He was wearing a cocky smile, something that the gray-haired devil didn't care. He wasn't acting like a jerk, yet.

"And Zephyrdor Glasya-Labolas. Welcome, please follow—"

"Woohoo! You guys are _so_ lucky to have me in your class!"

" _Fantastic."_ This time Danhauser sighed, followed by an internal cringe when he spotted the teacher glaring at Zephyrdor. It seems that the delinquent is going to win the dunce cap on their first day.

Pushing aside Zephyrdor's first impression, the teacher led us to our classroom, looking around, Danhauser spotted some of them wearing frowns on their faces. He understood why.

The classroom was like Danhauser expected, something that is only worthy only for high-rank class devils. Huge windows set on the walls, providing light to the room and just in case of emergency an escape route followed by high ceilings with a projector stuck on the roof. Seats aligned in rows, each slightly above than the previous, just like an auditorium. In front a large blackboard and the teacher's desk to the corner of the room.

Danhauser thought that the classroom would at least have a few posters on the walls, you know, to provide a bit of life and color to the room, but since we are talking about Devils, they tend to follow the same architectures similar to roman and greeks sticking with elegance rather than 'childishness.'

Before anyone could take a preferable seat, the teacher halted them, knowing full well that they'd start an uproar just for a simple bench, in other words, the teacher decided where each student would sit, much to everyone's dismay. It seems everyone already has had an idea where and with who to sit.

Danhauser's seat was on the back benches, to his right was Magdaran Bael and his left Riser Phenex, he liked it. While Magdaran is a bastard for treating his brother just like the rest of his clan does only to get the approval of his father, he doesn't yell every five seconds as Zephyrdor does. As for Riser, while in the anime he's drawn as an arrogant playboy character, Danhauser didn't mind, since most likely he's not going to say a lot of things other than praising himself, something that Belial could easily ignore.

Danhauser moved his backpack below the desk, hoping that the dragon wouldn't make any sorts of fuss during the teacher's explanation. The morning was as Danhauser knew it'd be, the teacher introducing himself and telling us some tales of his life and reasons of why he decided to educate children. After that, he'd passed to each student to see if they already have their Evil Pieces in hand. While detailing the rules and our expectations, it bored him rapidly to the point that he thought this was just the same schools as the human world. Nonetheless, this was still a Rating Game school.

Danhauser didn't have anything against schools, but wavering the same tale tends to tilt him slightly. He expected something different. That's it.

Some of the students were paying attention to the class—Seekvaira and Sairaorg—while others just zoned out from the topic—Magdaran reading a book about plants and flowers while Danhauser is trying to hush Bova's mouth—and soon there was going to be a quarrel between Riser and Zephyrdor.

Thankfully, before the two could hold each other's throats, the bell of lunch rang.

"Alright everyone!" The teacher half-yelled, his voice ignored by the sudden outburst. "I want each one of you here when the bell rings! You have half an hour!"

"Alright, time to eat, Bova." Danhauser slouched down on the grass, resting his back against the tree.

"Finally!" He heard a suppressed cheer coming from the bag, harshly, only his head left the school bag. The tiny dragon glared at Danhauser. "Thought I was going to die from starvation!"

Danhauser rolled his eyes. "I admit, it took longer than I expected," he rubbed his neck sheepishly. "Look at the bright side! We're going to eat finally, take the food out, please."

Grunting, Bova once again submerged inside Danhauser's backpack, trying to find the container that hides the food.

"Here." Danhauser couldn't help but smile at the sight, Bova finally left the secure place with the small box in his little jaw. He looked exactly like a baby crocodile, but with horns, wings and a loincloth.

He looks adorable.

"You know what's inside?" Danhauser asked, lazily watching how the other children found a perfect place to eat, some of them alone, others in groups, heck, even they were starting to introduce themselves, awkwardly, but at least they were trying to meet new people. Perhaps they don't want to eat alone.

It seems that first and second grades are not allowed to go outside, yet. They would have lunch at a different hour. Thankfully, the third years are allowed to leave the School grounds, Danhauser wanted to take this as a chance to explore deeper parts of the school.

Bova laid down the box at Danhauser's side. "No, I don't. I was waiting for you so we could eat together."

"Ah, thank you, Bova, that was kind from you."

The purple dragon looked away, growling. "J-Just open the box! I'm starving!"

Chuckling at the embarrassed dragon, Danhauser took out the food, which surprisingly was still warm. It was lasagna, one of Calcabrina's favorites dishes. She has had a fond for Italian gastronomy.

And a banana. Something that made Bova's heart jump with joy.

He spotted a few familiar faces from his classroom, especially those who are essential for the Light Novel, such as Magdaran sitting in solitary by the trees, with the same book in his hands. There was Riser. And lastly… Sairaorg.

How they'd find out about Sairaorg's missing Power of Destruction? He can understand if the Bael Clan found it, but the other Pillars? Did Sairaorg's father send the news globally just to make his wife and son suffer even more? That was worrisome, for him at least, the way they act here in the Underworld made the young Belial uneasily gulp. It seems the only way to stay away from the Old Devil's blacklist is by sharing the same way of reasoning.

The two instinctively looked up at the explosion of uproar. Kids began their assembling in the middle of the field. They'd just finished eating their lunch and decided to play a game to burn some time. He spied a knowledgeable figure, fluttering gloomily at the sidelines. Sairaorg was watching the game with a longing look. To be expected, they hadn't let him play with them, or he was scared of being rejected once again.

Danhauser pursed his lips and slowly stood up, school bag over his shoulders, he felt how Bova easily made it inside.

"Where are we going?" Bova asked inside the bag, sitting atop of Danhauser's evil pieces.

"It's time to make some friends," Danhauser answered, rolling his aching neck.

"Are you sure it's a good idea?" Bova spoke once again, making the devil raise an eyebrow.

"Well, it's the first day." Danhauser pointed out, shrugging. "It'd be giving a wrong impression of me if I rest on a trunk."

"If you say so…"

With courage backing him up, Danhauser walked where the lonely Bael was sitting, looking down at his clasped hands, entertaining himself with his thumbs.

Standing in front of him, Belial awkwardly coughed into his fist, making Sairaorg stop in surprise. "Uh, hey." Danhauser greeted, shakily waving at the lonely child.

Sairaorg hesitantly looked up and locked gazes with the other boy, his tensed violet eyes locked with Danhauser's gray ones.

The gaze, however, doesn't last long as Sairaorg breaks eye contact, nervous at the treatment Danhauser was sending him. That made Belial flinch at his reaction, how Bael tried to say something, but his mouth would always stay open, _stuck_ , with no words coming from his lips, which made Sairaorg tremble in frustration at his lack of braveness.

He was trying, Danhauser noted that but Sairaorg didn't know how to communicate with others, after being treated poorly by his surroundings, he didn't know how to initiate a conversation. Either that or Sairaorg was trying to say 'please leave me alone,' but he was frightened by the upcoming events.

"Can I… sit there?" Danhauser pointed at Sairaorg's side. "It's annoying to sit under a tree alone."

Belial swore he heard a scoff coming from Bova, but he chose to ignore it. Meanwhile, the young Bael was fighting with himself to the point he was fidgeting. Danhauser saw in Sairaorg's eyes a glint that screamed 'I understand.'

In the end, he warily mumbled. "I-I guess so…"

Danhauser offered a small smile, hoping that'd calm him down a little. "Thank you." He took a seat, but not so close that it might make Sairaorg anxious.

"…" Sairaorg didn't say a word.

And that's it, they just sit there, letting the silence overwhelm the two youngsters. Danhauser sensed how Sairaorg sent a little glare at him through the corner of his eye, perhaps still wary of his actions. When Danhauser spotted Sairaorg looking at him, he would send an awkward wave with a small smile, making the young Bael look away with a click of his tongue.

He didn't take Sairaorg's attitude to heart, Danhauser didn't experience what the future Strongest Youth went through, but at least he knew why he's acting like this. It'd be difficult to win his trust since maybe a few bastards had backstabbed him in the back, but just as they say, baby steps.

Danhauser only hoped that his inner asshole is not going to assault the already mentally abused Bael.

Suddenly they heard a sudden growl making the three freeze in the spots. No one heard it except from the two Devils and the dragon.

"W-What was that?!" Danhauser asked, startled, looking around frantically to find the source of the grumble. It was like a fucking bear growling! Belial moved his gaze at the silent Sairaorg. "Did you hear….?"

Danhauser stopped, spotting how Sairaorg wrapped his arms around his stomach, a small blush burning his cheeks. Cautiously, Sairaorg turned to face the devil next to him.

Danhauser grinned.

Sairaorg flinched.

"You're hungry, huh?" Danhauser smile didn't falter, making Sairaorg scowl and look away, growling. "I'll take that as a yes, wait a second."

Shifting the backpack over his knees, Danhauser opened it up, trying to find the lunch that the maids had cooked for him, he'd only ate half of it, he'd forgotten about it completely, he was kind of hungry, yet, but Sairaorg was empty. Maybe this could be a sign of friendship.

Patting Bova along the way, he grabbed his lunch and sealed the backpack. "Here." Danhauser moved the food closer to Sairaorg, shaking it. "It's still warm. You can have it."

"…" Sairaorg glared at the small box before sending his wary gaze at the gray-haired devil, he finished the staring contest, looking away.

"Oh please you're hungry, and you know it." Danhauser persuaded him quietly, opening the box to let the aroma reach Sairaorg's nostrils. "It's lasagna; there's nothing wrong in it, I promise."

Sairaorg mumbled something under his breath.

"Sorry but," Danhauser brought his pinky inside his ear, cleaning it. "I didn't catch that. Can you repeat it, please?"

"…I don't trust you…"

"…Oh." That was perhaps one of the mightiest slaps that he'd earned since he got revived in DxD. "I-I see." Danhauser shifted the food onto his thighs, lips pursed, things didn't turn out well for Belial it seems. "Umm," Danhauser said when the silence extended. "So why—"

"Can you drop the act?"

" _Welp,"_ Danhauser thought, _"It seems my progress is going great so far."_

"Just… just do what you have to to do," Sairaorg said under his breath, looking down at his feet, readying himself for the mental abuse.

"I'm not here to insult you," Danhauser said.

Bael scoffed. "Everyone says that." He shot Danhauser a glare. "And then _'bam'_ stab in the back; I will not fall for that one again."

Danhauser blinked, glancing at another direction. "Believe it or not, I'd never do that to someone to you or someone else."

"Of _course_ you wouldn't."

Belial rolled his eyes at the sarcasm. "While I love sarcasm, it wasn't necessary right now."

"I don't care if you'd found it necessary or not." Sairaorg huffed, looking away once again. "Just… just mock me, and be done with it."

Danhauser sighed, leaning back and placing a hand behind to act as support. "I told you. I just want to talk."

"Why don't you go _'talk'_ with someone else then?" Sairaorg raised his voice, irritated.

"Because _you_ want to talk with someone."

"How'd you know If I wanted to socialize at all?"

"You sat here while looking at the other kids playing with a look of 'please, notice me.'"

"So out of nowhere, you can read people's faces?"

"Dear Maou, what is this? Twenty questions?" Danhauser was now upset. "I understand why you're acting like this. You're just scared that I'd do something that may hurt you."

"I am _not_ afraid!" Sairaorg gritted his teeth, standing up from his seat, facing Danhauser. "I'm just getting pissed at how _YOU are_ delaying the inevitable!" He clenched his fists at his sides. "Just keep it brief and get over it, you're just here to make fun of me, spit on me, laugh at my face, isn't it?! Go on then! Or you just want to act as someone _'friendly,'_ so when I open up you can hurt me more?! If each one of you is going to keep to treat me like trash during the rest of the semester can you bastards at least _please_ be _more_ original?!"

"I don't like him already," Bova grunted silently inside the backpack, munching half of his banana.

"…" Danhauser stood well-rested on his seat, watching how Sairaorg cleaned his tears away with his sleeve, holding back the sobs that tried to break from his mouth. While Sairaorg had shown signs of weeping since his first day in school, he'd make sure he was alone. He'd stood firm in front of those who pushed him around, the last thing he wanted is to show how vulnerable Bael was in front of those bastards, but here he was, crying in front of someone who just met.

He didn't know why nor he cares about it. He just wished school was already over.

Danhauser noted something, his stance which emitted hostility somewhat lowered. _"It seems that Sairaorg here wanted to get that off his chest, that's good."_

Sairaorg moved his hands away, taking deep breaths, he glared at Danhauser with swollen eyes. "I-I'll say it once last time." He paused, shakily exhaling. "D-do your thing or go away."

"…" Glancing around to see if there was already an audience, thankfully there was not, Danhauser faced Sairaorg. "Do my thing?" Belial parroted, shrugging. "Alright then, as you wish."

Danhauser slowly stood up, stretching his limbs with a refreshing sigh. Sairaorg took a step back when he spotted Belial stand up, his eyes not leaving his frame.

Cracking his neck, Danhauser faced Sairaorg. "Say, do you like this school?"

"No, I don't." Sairaorg quickly answered, scowling at the question. "Why'd you—?"

"Then leave school already."

Sairaorg staggered, not because of his interruption, because of his advice. "W-What?"

Ignoring Bael's shocked gaze, Danhauser continued. "Don't give me that look, you just said it yourself, you can't keep it anymore. The insults of other kids are tearing you apart."

"Never!" Sairaorg exclaimed, making Belial curve a brow. "My mother worked hard enrolling me in this school. I would just disappoint her if I ever follow your advice!"

"Then what're you going to do?" Danhauser asked, pocketing his hands. "Sit there and let the others make fun of you?"

"I don't know, damn it!" Sairaorg exploded. "What would _you_ do in my place?!"

Danhauser grunted. "Easy, ignore them." Belial nonchalantly answered. "They're just forgettable faces that sooner will disappear from my memory, so why give them my attention?"

"…Easier said than done."

Danhauser shook his head, looking curiously at Sairaorg. "Hmm?"

"Your way of treating the other children, ignoring them." Sairaorg reminded him, biting the tip of his thumb. "In fact, I've been doing that for so long, but nothing, they just want to bring a reaction from me."

"Honestly, I'm surprised you hadn't punched anyone… or you had?"

It was Sairaorg's turn to grunt, folding his arms he let his words sink in, watching the grass. "…I'd never attacked someone," Sairaorg spoke after a brief silence. "And never will I."

"Why?"

"Two reasons." The raven haired paused, inhaling. "One, I will _not_ be like them." He raised another finger, making the piece sign. "I made my mother a vow, which I would not use force to attack other children, only use my strength if it's necessary."

Danhauser frowned at his answer. Maybe if Sairaorg attacked someone, he'd be in problems, after all, his father would merely bat an eye at Sairaorg's problems, even if he came from the Bael Clan, he was just the defected child that no one—Misla is an exception—cared about.

"So you're just going to sit here and let others punch you around?" Seeing Sairaorg didn't contribute with an answer. Danhauser whistled. "Well, you're kind of dumb."

Sairaorg looked up with a glare. "Why you—!"

"And a weakling, too."

Sairaorg closed his eyes, taking deep breaths before addressing Belial once again, he wanted to punch that bastard's face _so_ badly. "… _Why?_ "

"You're dumb because you're still here." Danhauser pointed out, ignoring Sairaorg's angry stare. "You could get house teaching because—"

"Are you deaf? I told you, my mother worked hard on signing me up for this school!"

"—it's going to affect you mentally if you stay here. You wouldn't concentrate in class, in other words, you'd get bad grades, and with bad grades, you'd be stuck in this school for a few years more, and the previous generation is going to resume with the bullying." Danhauser paused. "I think you're a weakling because you just sit here, letting each one of them attack you, you don't do nothing."

"What am I suppose to do then?!" Sairaorg shouted, thankfully it didn't bring anyone's attention. "My mother spoke with the teachers, but nothing! Nothing have had change! I will _not_ use brute force, turning like those bastards are the last thing I want—and I made a promise! If I told then to leave me alone, they'd just laugh it off and resume their attacks!" He got closer to Danhauser, forcing the latter to take an awkward step back. "I ask you, _smart ass_ , what the hell should I freaking do?!"

"Prove them wrong."

Sairaorg paused, looking at Danhauser with a look of wariness. "…What?"

"Prove them wrong," Danhauser repeated. "Get stronger to prove everyone wrong."

"I can't." Sairaorg calmed down slightly, sighing. "I…I didn't earn Bael's ability."

"So?"

" _So?_ I can't get stronger! I'm not sure how you want me to expand on that!"

"There are multiples ways to get stronger," Danhauser explained. "Become proficient with any other skill to overcome where you lack talent." His gaze softened, resting a hand over Sairaorg's shoulder. "Don't let their words discourage you. They're just jealous of you because you are a member of the most powerful house in the Underworld, no matter what they say, doesn't matter if you didn't inherit Power of Destruction, you're pure Bael, we should be in awe. It's up to you to take the first step."

.

.

.

"Y-You sounded just like her…" Sairaorg whispered, trembling, not pushing Danhauser's hand away. "M-my mother, she said the same thing, but… I-I just couldn't comprehend at all…"

Before anyone could add something, the bell rang, echoing around the school grounds. Seeing how the other students stopped doing their activities made Danhauser sighed. "Well, time's over." He suddenly grinned at the quiet Bael. "And look! We even had a good conversation, a little sad, but nonetheless a good one."

Sairaorg blinked, violet eyes shifting at his shoulder, Danhauser's hand still resting on it. "Ack!" Slapping Belial's hand away, Sairaorg shot him a hard look, cheeks slightly burning. "I just…! I just lowered my stance by accident!"

"Huh-huh," Danhauser rolled his eyes. "Of course you did."

"Don't act as if we were friends, _Belial,"_ Sairaorg spat, pointing his finger at the gray-haired devil. "I still see you just like any other devil around here."

"I see," Danhauser rolled his shoulder. "You see that tree over there?" Danhauser nodded behind Sairaorg, earning a mere scowl from him. "That's where I'm usually going to stay, there's a shadow protecting me from the sun, fresh air, and you can have a great view there too. You can stop by if you ever wish to socialize with someone."

Sairaorg's face didn't falter. "What if I don't?"

Danhauser shrugged. "Eh, don't talk to me then, that's fine. Just don't expect me to follow you around to beg for your friendship, I'll move on and talk with other Devils over here."

Bael clicked his tongue at the answer. "Whatever." He walked away, leaving Danhauser alone with Bova.

"You're welcome," Danhauser muttered, earning a grunt from the retreating child. Taking a good hold of his backpack, Danhauser followed Sairaorg's route.

…

"What a courteous being."

Bova scoffed.

* * *

"That was _so_ boring!" Zephyrdor wheezed out, running down the hallway. "Freedom!"

"Idiot," Seekvaira rolled her eyes, pushing her glasses up. Paying no mind to the teacher who poked his head out of the classroom to scold at the troublesome child.

"Finally, it's over." Danhauser moaned, sharing the same sentiment as Zephyrdor.

"It wasn't _that_ bad," Bova spoke, poking his head out of the backpack, thankfully no one noticed.

"Oh yeah, says the dragon that was snoring during the whole class." Danhauser shot a tired glare behind his shoulder. "You don't know how much I wished to be in your shoes."

"Hey, don't make me punch you."

Belial chuckled, ambling off with the rest of the students. _"He's right, though."_ Danhauser thought. _"We met Sairaorg."_

Danhauser waited with a drained look. Watching how the crowd of parents blended outside the school's gate and waited to pick up the children from their first adventure outside their mansion. A few of them sending a hard stare at Sairaorg, before pushing their kids away from the 'defected.' He took notice of it and glared at the distance.

Suddenly, Danhauser felt a pair of hands covering his eyes, startling him.

"Guess who~!" The voice said playfully. It was feminine and familiar.

Danhauser took hold of her wrists, grinning. "I don't know, umm, Gilles?"

The hands moved away from his eyes, followed by a lighthearted slap. "Funny."

Danhauser smiled before turning around, facing his cousin. "You're back."

Cleria grinned, ruffling his gray hair. "Uh-huh, you thought that you'd be safe from your awesome cousin, isn't?"

Chuckling, they walked off, Cleria grabbing Danhauser's hand to make sure he didn't get lost during the journey. Since he has the mind of an adult, but the body of a child, it annoyed him how they treated him according to his appearance, but he just had to deal with it, plus he was tired, a hand taking hold of him would be somewhat helpful.

Instinctively, Danhauser peeked behind his shoulder, seeing how Sairaorg was staring back at him.

"Bye, Sairaorg!" Danhauser waved with a small smile.

Bael's reaction was scowl and fold his arms, looking away. Cleria apparently had seen the interchange, but she remained silence for a while.

"So, the school was fun or no?" Cleria drawled.

"It was good," Bova answered, not hiding from the female Belial.

"It was interesting," Danhauser added his two cents. "We met new faces."

"Yeah, I can see that," Cleria replied. "Like that kid with the violet eyes, right?"

Danhauser hummed, not looking away from the streets. "Yep, his name is Sairaorg, he's quiet, but I think he's okay… everyone treats him strangely, why?"

"…" Cleria didn't answer immediately, the only sound they could hear was their shoes clashing with the solid ground. She was good at hiding her secret, perhaps a good trait for those with the blood of Belial, but Danhauser defiantly saw a small glimpse of surprise on her face.

"Danny, he… passed through a lot." Cleria trailed off, trying to find the right words, but failed. "Why do you ask?"

"Because my cousin is older and knows things I don't," Danhauser answered, noticing that she had avoided the question.

Cleria pulled Danhauser's cheek playfully. "Now, now, you shouldn't call a beautiful woman old, you know?" She scolded him, stopping in her tracks. "You're right though; I know a lot then you do. What do you think of the kid?"

Danhauser massaged his cheek. "He's rude," he answered, "but same goes for Zephyrdor, but everyone accepts him."

Cleria laughed, perhaps knowing full well about 'The Legend' Zephyrdor and his mischievous adventures.

Surprisingly, Cleria dropped the topic and continued on their way to the train station. Danhauser didn't mind because he knew that he wouldn't receive good responses from her, he just wanted to know her impressions about Sairaorg. Unfortunately, he didn't get his answer.

Danhauser took this chance to think about his Evil Pieces, especially his future peerage. It's going to be difficult to recruit members, especially in this small body, he just had to aim for people around his age or younger minimum to win their trust. I mean, he doubts that someone around his twenties would like to join a toddler that is thirteen years old.

Bova was one of them that reached his brain, but he was honestly questioning if a dragon would wish to turn himself into a servant of someone.

That's it. Danhauser didn't know other people outside the Belial Castle. I mean, he knew full cast of DxD, including the antagonists, perhaps a few slipped from his mind, but still, to know where they are? To earn the trust of—hopefully—his future servants? Danhauser tried to win Sairaorg's friendship, but it seems that the results were awful.

" _Perhaps I'm no king material."_ Danhauser bit his lip.

But the question is still lingering there, _when_ is he going to start?

The question went unanswered. The two devils and the sleepy dragon reached the train station. Without breaking the peaceful silence, the two walked inside, each one of them lost in their heads.

* * *

 **-Guest Reviews-**

 **Guest- Ah! Good catch, good job on finding the reference, haha! Glad you liked my fanfic so far, cheers!**

 **Lurker- Me alegro que te haya encantado como estoy escribiendo a la madre, antes pense en escribirla con el mismo pensamiento que los demonios, pero empuje esa idea lejos. Y la muerte del original Danhauser va a ser explicada, aun no, pero nos acercamos, gracias por tu comentario, saludos!**

* * *

 **I'll start saying with I'm sorry for taking a lot of time updating; life kicked me in the face out of nowhere.**

 **I felt this chapter was a little off. Hopefully, you guys enjoyed it.**

 **I'll do my best to make the next chapter far more entertaining.**

 **Also, about the peerage. I already know who's going to join Danhauser's peerage. When is going to appear the first one? I don't know, patience.**

 **I have nothing else to say other than I apologize for grammar errors, and for being late.**

 **Thank you for your reviews!  
**

 **Cheers.**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Die Nibelungenlied**


	6. Die Nibelungenlied

**Chapter 6: Die Nibelungenlied**

* * *

" _Damn this training. Still surprised that I'm still moving."_

It had been approximated three weeks since Danhauser entered school and met Sairaorg. It was also during those previous days when he'd started his workout with the Emperor and boy. He was having a rough time. Luckily, he's a Devil. His body is energetic and powerful than your average human, plus the genes that he'd inherited from his mother and father. His strength's physically enhanced than any other devil. It sounded fantastic if you thought about it, but if you stopped and took a seat, thinking about it deeply, then you'd understand that a few Push-ups and Pull-ups to get adequate results aren't going to be enough to increase his strength, hence the reason why Diehauser wasn't sugar coating him.

At first, Danhauser hadn't seen any changes at all, but slowly he'd began noticing some development around his physique, no, his body wasn't getting toned, the only alteration that he'd found was the durability, it was different than before, something that made him relieved. For him, it meant that he could spar more with his older brother.

"Get up, Dan," Diehauser ordered, tapping his younger brother's side with his shoe. "That was just the warm up. Now we're starting the sparring."

Danhauser held back a groan. He was thankful for having Diehauser as a trainer; he couldn't ask for a better person to burn up his body, but sometimes he wished the Emperor knew the definition of 'mercy.' His body covered in bruises with muscles erupting spasms of pain, making the toddler wince at the awful sensation. That was just the exterior part of his body. The interior felt like it'd been thrown into a furnace for an hour before getting shoved back roughly into his ribcage.

" _Alright, ready for my daily dose of ass beating."_

Slowly picking himself up from the soft grass, Danhauser gritted his teeth at the jolt of pain surging throughout his pale skin, sweat washing his body, he pushed aside the warning that his limbs were sending. Ignoring his trembling legs, he took a fighting stance.

Seeing his brother finally standing up and take a combat pose, Diehauser took one of his own, and the two began circling one another, patiently waiting to see who's going to deliver the first blow. Danhauser rushed forward, and he attacked.

Diehauser's fist quickly appeared to interrupt him, grazing his cheek as Danhauser dodged by moving ahead, trying to keep closer distance as possible. Taking advantage of his small stature, he threw a punch at the taller Champion focusing his attack on his side. Unluckily, Diehauser swayed aside the first blow, ducked the second, and parried the third with his forearm. He whirled around Danhauser's guard and slammed his elbow into the side of his head. Danhauser went to a knee with a hiss of pain, proving that the jab successfully nailed the spot.

"…" Diehauser didn't move, looking down at his younger brother supporting himself with a quivering knee, he bestowed Danhauser a moment to still the resounding in his head.

Blood smudged the side of his skull. Danhauser felt it, a flash of light in his field of vision, eyeballs being jostled around so suddenly. He felt like a bell that has just rung vibrating around his head. Danhauser closed his eyes, ignoring the blood sliding and falling to the grass. He was surprised, how this time, he hadn't fallen unconscious on the ground, it just showed that the training is bearing fruits.

"Are you okay?" Even with his ears ringing, Danhauser heard the voice of his brother entirely.

Danhauser lifted his chin and took a steady breath as if he was expecting a chunk of water fall from the sky and clean his bloodied face. He slowly stood up, trying to maintain his balance, the effects of Diehauser's hit still dazing him.

"Y-Yeah. I'm all right." Danhauser breathed out, cracking his eyes open, discovering two Diehauser's in his distorted sight.

"…" Diehauser moved closer, laying a hand on his brother's shoulder, stopping his staggering. Diehauser lifted four fingers up. "How many fingers do I have in my hand?"

Danhauser watched with half-lidded, only for a few seconds, before meeting Diehauser's gaze. "Four...?"

"Good." Diehauser gave a few pats on Danhauser's cheeks, hoping that'd compose his brain once again. Moving away, he stood away from his younger brother. "Ready whenever you are."

Since the first they had started training, Danhauser would feel scared to practice hand-to-hand combat with the Emperor of the Rating Games. Funnily, Lord Belial was holding back by _a lot,_ and even then, Danhauser couldn't even lay a finger on him. Even if he couldn't be a worthy opponent for his older brother, he didn't let that thought bother him during the sparring, he was still, proud of his unexpected results. He was quite a bit faster and stable, and right now he proved that he could withstand an attack from the Champion, _although_ , Diehauser was holding back.

This time, Danhauser didn't go for the attack, waiting for the taller Devil to make the first move, which he did. Diehauser rushed at him and started swinging. Surprised by the speed, Danhauser avoided and jumped away from the incoming punches, trying to spot an opening he could abuse. Blocking with lighting thrusts and uppercuts, he sought to land any his fists on any part of Diehauser's body, but the latter parried them easily, battering ripostes to Danhauser's body.

Gritting his teeth, he aimed a vertical fist at Diehauser's face, _scratching_ the cheek before the Champion grabbed Danhauser with one hand around the throat, lifting him into the air and slamming him to the ground, closing the training with a high note.

" _Fuck!"_ Danhauser mentally cursed, arching his aching back in pain. His body filled with bruises and pain, he wouldn't be surprised if Diehauser broke his backbone, luckily, he still had the Phoenix Tears safe in his room, he didn't want to use them for sparring, but for a mess that involves life and death.

"…Should I be worried that you're grinning?" Diehauser said with an arched brow. He was right, Danhauser had a goofy grin plastered on his face, even if he'd lost like the previous brawls, today he was happy for his achievement.

"Your cheek." Danhauser started, poking his cheek to give emphasis. "I grazed it." For him, it was the greatest accomplishment of all times. Heck, he fought _The_ Emperor. A Devil that not even Sairaorg in his dominant form could even touch, and whose powers rivals a Satan-Class Devil.

"Yes, you did." Diehauser returned the smile with one of his own, crouching to his younger brother's side, he offered a fist-pump. "Good job."

Danhauser coughed before shakily returning the gesture.

"Can you move?" Diehauser asked, lowering his arm. He simply received a groan. "I see. Turn around, then."

Danhauser hesitantly nodded, rolling around while hissing in pain, his back is the source of all this suffering. He positioned himself flat on his stomach. "Done."

"Don't move." Before Danhauser could utter a word, his body left the grass, startling him. Looking up, he saw his new location under Diehauser's armpit. "Where had you left the potions I gifted you?"

"In my room," Danhauser grunted, shifting to find a comfortable posture. "Hey, when can I open my Evil Pieces?"

Diehauser didn't stop moving, blinking, he spared his brother a glance. "Wait. You didn't open your case during your first day of school?"

"Well, _you_ told me _not_ to unlock the case," Danhauser stated, folding his arms. "I admit, I sent a chunk of demonic power, _only_ to activate them."

"Ah, good." Diehauser sighed. "That means you linked your energy to the Evil Pieces." He passed a hand over his gray hair. "I'm glad you did that since now you're getting stronger, there's a bigger chance for you to reincarnate someone without using a lot of pieces."

"You didn't answer my question, though."

"Why'd you want to see them?" Diehauser moved inside the castle, leaving the garden. "If you want to know how they'd look I can answer for you."

"What I want to know is if I have a Mutation Piece." Danhauser tapped the bloodied side of his face, wincing. "Maybe my Queen Piece _mutated_."

Diehauser scoffed. "I doubt it."

"I appreciate the brotherly support."

"Speaking of Chess Pieces…" Diehauser trailed off. "Any ideas of who's going to join your peerage?"

Danhauser opened his mouth, but seeing no words coming from his throat, he closed it, lips pursed. "I…I don't know yet."

Even if he couldn't see it, he sensed how the Emperor bobbed his head. "Understandable. It takes a lot of time, so don't let that deprecate you."

"How'd you recruited your peerage?"

"Hmm." Diehauser motioned a finger under his chin, casually nodding at the passing maids. "Most of them were by Contracts, sheer luck, I assure you."

"Perhaps I can find mine by doing the same method?" Young Belial suggested, ignoring the shocked looks that the maids sent at his wound."By doing so, I'd also learn how Contracts work, you know, kill two birds with one stone."

He needed to start his recruiting like, _now_ , pushing aside the fear of getting turned down and moving forward. Once he gets his first servant, he can finally do give him the flyers to make contracts with humans, increasing the chance of finding more people to recruit on his peerage.

He already had someone in mind which belongs to Canon, if God's remainings are looking down at him, then everything's going to be okay.

His only fear is the number of evil pieces that his future ally could demand.

"True." Diehauser agreed, stopping in front of the stairs, glancing down. "If you want, you can go with Gilles when he gets summoned by one of his clients."

"…" Danhauser pursed his lips, not liking the idea of giving company to de Rais. He immediately shook his head. "Alright, I accept."

" _I should stop cowering because of him."_ Danhauser scowled at how he quickly gets intimidated by the Queen. _"If Diehauser turned him into his Queen then that means he's reformed… right?"_

Right?

Diehauser poked his brother's forehead, making the young one blink. "Something's wrong? You kept staring at the staircase for a while."

"Everything's fine," Danhauser assured him, seeing Diehauser not buying his lie, he quickly added before the Emperor could open his mouth. "Why we stopped?"

"…" Diehauser didn't say a word, looking down at Danhauser for a while. Finally, he spoke. "…We stayed because I wanted you to get ready before I climbed the steps. It's going to hurt."

"How unlucky." Danhauser breathed out heavily. Nonetheless, he was ready to endure the pain. He flinched when Diehauser started clambering the stairway. "H-Hey, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

Seeing he didn't stop his movements, Danhauser wheezed out. "How can I train with Worthlessness?"

Raising an eyebrow, Diehauser reached the last stair, glaring the stretched corridor. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I know how to use it, alright." Danhauser glanced down at the floor, trying to find the right words to explain it. "But I need _something_ to test it."

"You need a guinea pig?" Diehauser answered, resuming his strutting. "Metaphorically speaking, of course."

"Exactly."

"Well," Diehauser trailed off, peeking at the roof, like if he was trying to find the right answer. "That's something good about Worthlessness; you only need to know the properties of the spell or object to nullify it."

"So, know thy enemy, know thyself?"

"Correct." Diehauser nodded, ducking to the right. "However, if you want to make up your technique, then yes, you need to practice with Worthlessness, but you don't necessarily need to use it on other people."

" _I also want to increase its duration."_ Danhauser pursed his lips, letting the comfortable silence once again, surround their bodies. If what Diehauser is saying is true—which obviously is—then he already had everything planned. It's going to take a lot of time, but if he had another pair of hands helping him, then _maybe_ he could make decent progress. The Emperor can't assist him since he's back to his duty as Lord Belial, he had has a small amount of time to stay with the family, the moments he remains with his people is only breakfast, train Danhauser physically and, socialize with the household.

He discovered that everyone is busy nowadays, something that made Danhauser feel useless. They were working hard to on their duties meanwhile Danhauser was just there, watching how everyone's washed with cold sweat hanging around his body, he felt like a burden for asking Diehauser for his help when the Emperor has a job that is essential for the Underworld.

" _Stay positive."_ Danhauser scolded himself mentally, not letting the negative thoughts destroy his pride. _"Think of something else, damn it!"_

There are also a few things he needed to check about, first of them is learn about his mother's House trait. Danhauser hadn't asked his mom about it because he heard the rumor of his uncle coming to pay a visit, so he decided to save it for his uncle and at least _have_ a decent conversation, rather than letting the awkward silence contaminate the atmosphere.

But it seems that he's taking his sweet ass time to knock on the doors. Diehauser had explained that it was to anticipate for him to be _so_ unpunctual. He tried to ask important characteristics about the geezer, but all of them were answered either by a cheeky smile or a "you'll find out."

The only clue he'd received was that he was during the funeral.

Something that made Danhauser frown in thought is about the lack of news about his father; the Champion had has spoken about him, but briefly and with a tone that screams "end of the conversation, next." All in all, Prince Belial doesn't know a thing about the man who gave him life, something that honestly, he didn't care. In his previous life, his father disappeared, he didn't know if he'd died, but sure as hell he'd left to another continent, thus forcing the mother to act as a father, too.

Either way, he was still happy, even if he hadn't had a male figure watching over him in the past.

"Here we are." The soothing voice of the Emperor brought him back to the world of the living. Diehauser pushed the door open, moving inside.

Sighing with satisfaction as Diehauser laid him on the bed, he needs to know, how the maids made his bed comfortable.

But it wasn't time to sleep. Danhauser needed to get his job done.

"Hey," Danhauser started, even though he couldn't see it, he could feel those cool gray eyes staring him. "Dumb question, but, do we have paper, pen, and scissors?"

Diehauser frowned, snatching a Phenex Tear from Danhauser's table. "Yes, we do."

"A library?"

"Yes."

"You know where Cleria is?"

"She must be in her room," Diehauser drawled, walking towards him. "Why all those questions?"

Danhauser grinned, shakily taking a seat on the corner of his bed, it seems Diehauser didn't turn his spine to dust. "I have a plan."

Diehauser frowned at the answer, offering the healing potion. "That didn't answer my question at all."

"I know." Danhauser took the vial, nodding in appreciation. He drank it all in one go, wincing at the savor. _"Tastes like chicken fat."_

.

.

.

"So…" Diehauser trailed off watching how his brother shut his eyes closed tightly in disgust. "Are you going to tell me?"

Danhauser opened his eyes, slowly meeting the gaze of the Emperor.

…

Finally, he answered. "Nah."

"Troublesome."

* * *

"Found anything yet, Cleria?"

"Nope." Cleria shook her head, standing at the top of a mobile stair, scanning each book that passed through her eyesight with a scowl. "I swear I've seen this book before…"

Grabbing the sliding stair tightly to make sure that his cousin didn't fell off from the top. Danhauser let out a frustrated sigh. "Are you sure there's not a _single_ book on those shelves that speaks about the 72 Pillars?"

Cleria looked down from her place. "If I remember correctly, we had a book somewhere about Ars Goetia." She moved her gaze back to the documents of knowledge, biting her lower lip. "Just give me some time."

"Don't you want to swap place?" Danhauser nearly shouted, hoping she could hear him from his place on the ground.

"No. It's dangerous; you could fall and hurt yourself." Danhauser held back a scoff at Cleria's statement, oblivious that he's an adult in the body of a child. Eyeing the place, Danhauser couldn't stop admiring the craftsmanship Devils did around their territories. They may be assholes, but sure as hell, they have had good tastes. The library itself is a good example; it's _huge_ , the shelves themselves scraped the roof, and the smell of leather and old books filled his nostrils. Danhauser doubted there would be mangas or even comics on a different section.

"I found it!" Cleria cheered, waving the old book wrapped around her fingers, a grin of proudness framing her youthful face. "Coming down now!"

Returning the happy gesture, Danhauser took a step backward, watching how his cousin hugged the book over her chest while carefully taking a good grasp from the stair.

" _I don't even know why to use the stairs when we could fly…"_ Danhauser held back his tongue. It doesn't matter anymore they were here for something important and it's resting on Cleria's palms.

"I'm curious." Cleria uttered, her feet landing with a small 'thud' on the ground. "This is not something that someone around your age would enjoy reading. Is this perhaps homework?"

Danhauser nodded to the table filled with utensils, slowly walking away to that direction. "You'll see."

Cleria showed her displeasure with a pout, keeping the dusty book under her armpit. "This is like, the fifth time you say that to me!"

Danhauser only winked at her, deepening the moue. "Patience dear cousin, patience."

It didn't even take a minute for the Devils in reaching the stretched tables, taking a seat with a mutual sigh.

"Alright, we're going to make a small book," Danhauser said, taking hold of a sheet of paper and the scissors, testing the latter, he nodded in satisfaction.

Slowly lifting her eyebrow, she moved the ancient book to the center. "Uh, why?"

"You know how our Clan trait works, right?" Danhauser started cutting the paper without sparing a glance at his silent cousin. "Knowledged is they key to use our power effectively. That's why I need your help. I want to write each Housecarl with its respective power."

"Okaaaay….?" Cleria trailed off, eyeing his young cousin as if he had two heads. "Can we keep in mind that _we_ already have the book right in front of us?" She pointed at the book laying on the table. "The book already had everything written on it, the powers of each housecarl, even those that are already extinct from this world."

"I know, but it only says the powers those Houses wields and unnecessary stuff." Danhauser pointed out. "I want to know how to it works and make it easier for me to understand and I heard from somewhere that if you rewrite something multiple times, it'd be a tad easier for you to memorize it."

"But it's going to be _so_ long." Cleria added her two cents. "Plus let's keep in mind that there's also those from the Extra Demons _and_ other creatures such as Vampires, Youkai, Angels, Magicians, and so on."

Danhauser furrowed his brow. The objects latched around his fingers landing on the table. She's right. Danhauser didn't count other species; she forgot to add other instruments such as the Sacred Gears, particularly those with God-Slaying attributes _and_ the holy weapons like Excalibur and demonic swords like Gram. Honestly, keep in mind that he doesn't _need_ to learn everything. As long as he understands the abilities of Canon characters, all the Sacred Gears, _and_ demonic _or_ holy swords like the palm of his hand, then he's going to pass with flying colors.

So why learn everything? Curiosity? To learn something new that in his previous life such information was mostly fake and impossible to obtain?

"Great, now I feel like I kicked a puppy…" Danhauser blinked, gazing away from the pile of blank papers, eyes aimed at his cousin. "Since I don't have nothing to do, we can still do this, if you're still adamant about it. I don't have anything to do, and I rather burn my time with someone."

"…" Danhauser wholly stared at the ancient book, making Cleria slightly uncomfortable at the lack of answer, she didn't mean to make holes around his plans, she just wanted to point something out.

…

"Danny, I'm so—"

"I have a plan."

Danhauser's swift response startled her slightly, pushing aside her surprised expression, she addressed her cousin, relieved. "Really?"

"Yeah, this is what we're going to do." Danhauser paused. "Write the spell, it's properties, and that's it."

"Why the new method?" Cleria pushed a few strands of her hair behind her ear; curiosity wrote all over her face.

"I'll give you an example." Danhauser rolled his wrist. "Pyrokinesis, it's one of the most basic spells in the Supernatural World, the Phenex Clan knows it, devils can also learn from it, Magicians, too. What's the similarity if we compare it with Holy Fire?"

"It can burn your foes and is weak to water." Cleria quickly answered, before adding. "The difference would be that they're effective against creatures that lurk in the dark, prime examples being Devils and Vampires."

"You just said enough to nullify fire _and_ holy fire, maybe the flames of the Phenex, too." Danhauser mentally slapped himself; this was _way_ easier than writing each Housecarl with their one-of-a-kind trait.

" _Now_ we have a plan!" Cleria grinned, grabbing another pair of scissors before going back to work, winking. "I'll cut the papers, and you just write somewhere the abilities that you know about."

And thus the absence of sound once again submerges from the library. They didn't care about it, in fact, they embraced it. Each one of them had something important in their minds moving around as they kept working together as a team. Danhauser main issues are about school, mostly. He still remembered telling Sairaorg to get stronger, which surprisingly, the black haired devil wrote down his training schedule. Belial mostly would have had seen the defected Bael covered in sweat. Unfortunately, the future Lion King still held a grudged towards his presence; he'd shoot a glare before moving forward.

Danhauser on the other hand still hadn't had friends, sitting under the tree he marked as his territory, it was lonely since Bova couldn't accompany him anymore, Tannin grew worried of his brat doing something dangerous. He didn't mind staying alone, but having someone to talk with wouldn't be a _bad_ idea, he just needs the courage to shake a stranger's hand.

"Hey, Cleria." Danhauser started, not looking away from his sheer work. "How you're doing in Kuoh so far?"

Humming her favorite song, she answered. "Thus far, great, why?"

"Really? Nothing suspicious?"

Cleria slowly frowned, staring at her young cousin. "No…? Why?"

"Ah, it's nothing." Danhauser waved off her leery eyes, focusing harder on the sheet of paper in his hands. "Say, how many papers you have ready?"

"…"

"Cleria, are you there?"

"…Am I missing something?" Cleria's disoriented tone was enough to stop Danhauser in his tracks. "Danny, what's wrong?"

Danhauser returned the look, trying to see behind those gray eyes, the way she'd spoken was a mix of confusion and worriedness, her body language reflecting her words. He doesn't know when Cleria begins her love affair with the exorcist.

"During class, I heard about Exorcists," Danhauser started, glancing down at his hands. "They're from the Human World _and_ work for the Church—they're our enemies to keep it brief."

It was a lie. Teachers had never explained about this subject, but Danhauser couldn't tell her the truth, since, you know, different world. He just wanted to bring to light some hidden information.

"Ah," Cleria hummed, slowly breaking into a smile. "If that's what troubles you, then don't worry, everything is going smoothly around Kuoh."

"Are you sure?" Danhauser persisted. "Is there not even a secret base of operations in Kuoh or something along those lines?"

"Actually…" Cleria trailed off, appropriately facing her young cousin. "There's a small church far away from my house."

"And you didn't tell Diehauser about this because…?"

Cleria scoffed, hands clasped. "Trust me, that was the first thing I ever did when I'd visited the town for the first time."

"Really?" Danhauser held back his outburst, deep inside he was far from shocked. "And what Diehauser did in respect?"

"Order Gilles to put some spells around my house and the school I'm leading."

…

"That's it?"

"Yep, that's it."

"Are you serious?" Danhauser raised his voice, how can she act so calm about it?! "You know that something _bad_ could happen to you, right?"

"I know, I know," Cleria said with a raised hand, telling the male Belial to tone down a bit. "It's… complicated."

"It _isn't!_ " Danhauser insisted, hissing. "You're the governor of Kuoh—you have to do something!"

Biting her lip, Cleria sighed, playing with a few locks of her gray hair. "I…I think it's time to spill the beans."

"Huh?"

"Danny, Kuoh Town is not my territory." Cleria declared, disregarding Danhauser's baffled expression. "Nor it belongs to the Church."

"Then…" Danhauser let her words sink in, every time he tried to say something, he would immediately shut down, trying to find the reasoning behind her words. "Then Kuoh is from who?"

"It's a human territory." Cleria answered, looking down at the table with a scowl. "A human land that the Old Devils wants to break in."

Danhauser frowned at her brief explanation, so the Old Devils are the ones behind this, huh? In a way, her words are right since the novel described them as greedy and prideful bastards, following the same physiology of conquering the world, similar to the Original Maous, but unlike them, they're taking cautious steps just to not appear suspicious in front of the Underworld's inhabitants.

He still needed to know. Why Cleria? Why Kuoh?

"Why of all Devils, why you?"

"Don't think I'm the chosen one of some cheesy prophecy." Cleria stated, scratching her neck. "We have had more Devils scattered around the world, Kuoh isn't the place of riches, nor is it the greatest of all, but still it's essential for the Underworld's sake. I was sent for the sole purpose to spread flyers to make Contracts."

Danhauser titled his head, carefully listening to her wise words, there's the word again "Contract" he knew the sole purpose of those magic cards, it's the only way to keep the Devil population at bay, in other words, alive. Just as Angels need prayers from humans to exist, Devils need the person's greediness to survive, back then it was just stealing the soul of the mortal in exchange of his dream, but that practice immediately disappeared

Danhauser doesn't know why they changed the method; his first guess had been to increase their worshippers and not extinguish humans, even if it's nearly impossible for that to happen.

"So, they can't lay a hand on you since it's not the territory of no one?"

"I told you, it's _human_ territory." Cleria repeated, rolling her eyes. "And exactly, the same thing goes for me. I can't attack them. If one of us unsheaths first blood, then a war could start."

"It's confusing," Danhauser admitted, clicking his tongue. Is she saying that Kuoh is neutral ground? Danhauser maybe would grasp her reasoning if she stated that the town belongs to the Shinto Gods, after all, it's in Japan, but even then, why the Japanese Gods are not doing something in respect? Do they see as Kuoh as an insignificant place? Or they're satisfied by having Yasaka building shrines for them around Kyoto?

Why does he have that wretched feeling that Amaterasu doesn't care about the humans? Her concern aimed only for Youkai Faction?"

"Well, that's politics for you." Cleria softly laughed, shaking her head. "Just imagine how Diehauser is suffering from that stuff."

"Why of all Devils in the underworld they chose you?"

"Remember what I said, we'd spread globally. Each House is watching a small town from a different country." Cleria broke into a smile. "I just drew the short straw, I guess."

Cleria was the only one who could be in the human world, since his mother, Calcabrina, is the second in command just behind Diehauser, she's needed in the castle when the Emperor is absent. Diehauser is evident. Danhauser is still a child. Gilles couldn't since the government would prefer to entrust a community in the hands of a pure-blooded devil. His father still unknown; he only knows that he's not in the fort.

That just left Cleria Belial to spread flyers around the town for the sake of survival.

"Just imagine those that are in Rome." Cleria huffed, pleased to be away from Europe. "They're in a _worse_ situation that I am."

" _Because of the Vatican,"_ Danhauser presumed, now _that's_ the fortress of Exorcists. A Devil visiting that place would be like wearing a signboard on his back that read 'kill me, please.' Actually, Europe may be the haven for Exorcists.

Which it was a pity since in his previous life he wanted to visit Europe, especially the Roman Colosseum. Funnily Calcabrina also longed to explore it.

Silence once again fell from the roof, resuming their duties that they temporally pushed behind just to for the sakes of realizing some confidential information to the audience.

Even then, the unpleasant feeling embraced Danhauser's body tightly. She's still in danger, even if the small church is not going to lift a finger about Cleria's unwelcomed presence. He knows that in the future, Irina's father is going to pay Cleria a visit, and not a welcoming one.

Who knows, maybe they're spying her from the shadows and planning their next move, the thought sent chills down to his spine.

"If it makes you feel better." Cleria started, forcing young Belial to look up. " _He_ didn't smite me, yet."

" _She's talking about God of the Bible, right?"_ Danhauser winced at a headache punching his skull. It seems that his cousin doesn't know about His death.

Or she's just making sure Danhauser doesn't learn about the dark secret.

"I see," Danhauser answered after a sudden silence.

"I hadn't known that my Danny was worried about her beautiful cousin." Cleria out of nowhere gushed, placing a hand on her cheek. "C-Could it be that Danny has a—!"

"You have no shame, Cleria Belial."

Cleria only laughed.

* * *

"Alright get closer to Gilles," Diehauser instructed.

Danhauser nodded and moved to the French's side. He's nervous, not because a serial-killer is inches away from him—maybe just a little—but because he's going to meet people and if he did an excellent job, his future followers.

But can he do it? This quest alone is enough to prove himself worthy of a King.

" _What if I make a fool of myself?"_ Danhauser clenched his fists, the image teasingly molding itself on his brain.

"Where are we going?" Danhauser blurted out, glancing up at Diehauser's Queen, doing anything to toss those pessimistic emotions away.

"A place where civilization is deficient off," Gilles responded, crossing his arms from behind. "It is a small tribe that I have had visited for such a long time."

"So, farming contractors?"

Gilles de Rais frowned, sparing him with a look. "If I remember correctly, I am a knight _and_ a butler from the bottom of my heart, not a farmer."

"That's not what he meant, Gilles." Diehauser joined the conversation. "In gaming, 'farming' means to stay in one place in order to acquire an individual item or money." He turned to the astonished Danhauser. "Am I right?"

Danhauser slowly nodded. "You play, uh, video games?"

Diehauser stared. "Right now. You're addressing the _best_ player in Age of Empires. Tread carefully."

"Ha!" Danhauser scoffed. "When I come back from Gilles' contract, I'll take you on."

"I accept your challenge," Diehauser said. "Let it be known, Cleria said the same words, and she couldn't sleep for three few weeks after the outcome."

"Ah, I humbly apologize for my ignorance." Gilles suddenly bowed his head, catching their attention. "I am still not used to the modern culture."

"You'll get used to it," Diehauser assured him, shrugging, facing his younger brother. "Now, Dan. It's going to be your first time on seeing the Human World. Whenever Gilles goes, I want you to follow him. Clear?"

"Clear." Danhauser parroted, nodding.

"…" Diehauser's lips didn't move at all, nor did he showed an expression that screamed 'satisfaction.' That's something that Danhauser noted; the Emperor is safe keeping his emotions in check. In the end, Lord Belial responded. "Okay, you two get ready."

The moment those words left his mouth, a gray portal emerged beneath their feets, the light that the Belial circle threw off was soft, yet strong to the point that Danhauser had to protect his eyes just for safe measure. It was warm, too.

"Have fun." Danhauser heard his brother utter his last words. He steadily opened his gray eyes, seeing that they were not in the Belial fortress anymore.

A sudden warmth hit's Danhauser. He began scanning the wood walls with stuffed deer heads and a beautiful bear rug that lays in the middle of the room, Danhauser quickly deduced that he was in a cabin of sorts, _and_ in the forest, after all, his little discoveries were made either from wood or fur.

The cabin was empty from sound and Danhauser didn't like it, funnily enough, he'd always approved quietness. Wind rustling through trees, the faint howl of a wolf, and the creaking floorboards was the only thing he spotted with his trained ear.

No one was even here to welcome the Devils with arms wide open.

"Huh, weird," Danhauser commented, flinching every time he heard the wooden slab screech. "Perhaps Diehauser used the wrong coordinates?"

"…"

"…Gilles?" Danhauser gulped, a quiet Gilles is a bad Gilles. Carefully turning around, he spotted the blue haired butler looking at the wooden door—much to his relief—his expression, however, completely devoid of emotions.

"Something's—"

"Smell it," Gilles commanded, earning a confused look from Danhauser. "The air, feel it."

"Ah," nodding slowly, Danhauser took a deep sniff, frowning at the weird aroma infiltrating his nostrils. "Smells like metallic," he responded, using his nose once again. "Like copper, iron, and slightly sweet…salty?"

The smell was unique.

"Indeed," Gilles responded after a tense silence. "What do you think it is?"

"…Perhaps we are close to a forge or an armory?" Danhauser scratched his head. Honestly, he'd never known how a smithy indeed smells or a room whose functions are solely for storing weapons.

"Maybe." Gilles bobbed his head, his expression darkening. "But I had visited so many blacksmiths workshops during my times as a knight, that I am used to the smell of fresh metal." He paused. "This is the smell of fresh blood."

"Wait…" Danhauser trailed off, eyes slowly widening at the announcement. "A-are you saying that there's a corpse around here…?"

"…" Gilles didn't answer back, casually walking to the locked door, once he reached the exit, he laid his hand on the cold knob. He brought his other hand to his ear, a small magic circle shaping around it. "Master, we have a slaughtering around here."

Instead of a response, a gray portal similar the one that Gilles and Danhauser used to get in here appeared, Diehauser stepped away from the Belial emblem was Diehauser, wearing a frown as he greeted his Queen.

"Are you sure?" Diehauser asked, walking towards Gilles.

"Oui." Gilles slid his fingers away from the knob, looking directly at Diehauser eyes with his blue ones. "I can smell the fresh blood from far away. Young master had sniffed it, too."

Diehauser pursed his lips, looking down at the wooden floor.

"W-what are we going to do?" Danhauser nervously asked, standing at the Emperor's side.

"For starters, I'll teleport you right away to the castle." Diehauser faced his young brother. "Gilles and I have this under control."

"Wait! I-I can help!"

"I don't care," Diehauser said, somewhat coldly. "Who knows if the murderer is still around, hell knows what would happen if he lays a hand on you."

"I've been training with you like three weeks!" Danhauser countered. "I can _defend_ myself, brother!"

"You're still not ready." Diehauser waved off his excuse. "We even don't know what are we facing."

Danhauser bit his lip, glancing at his shoes. "Let me help, please." He looked up. "Let me be useful at least once."

Diehauser opened his mouth, ready to retort—but stopped, Danhauser's words finally reaching his head. "What?"

"Everyone is doing something for the family, while I'm training only for my selfishness." Danhauser started. "I want to prove I'm worth of calling myself a Belial."

"Dan, you're still young." Diehauser started, for the first time calling him by his first name. "You can't expect to do something like this."

"Sooner or later I have to learn about it, isn't it?"

The Champion frowned. "Not really. You just sounded like you're going to war."

"We have a future ahead of us brother." Danhauser started. "Who knows, maybe once again we're going to be in war, and when the time comes, I need to get ready." He quickly added. "Plus, I have this feeling that I'll hunt Stray Devils down with my peerage."

"And you will be ready." Diehauser pocketed his hands. "That's why I'm training you so that you can defend yourself."

"That's only physically; I need to harden my emotions," Danhauser said. "That is why I need to do this, to not let my emotions control over my body."

"…" Diehauser stared directly at Danhauser, even if he was right, he didn't like the way he said it, someone who is still a child talking about this made his stomach flip around, especially his younger brother. He wanted Danhauser to have an innocent life now that he came back from the dead, but it seems that dreams are only dreams. He's growing fast.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Diehauser asked one last time. "…Even if you're right, there could be a better time to do this."

"… I rather let my emotions act instinctively around the people I trust than letting my enemy see me showing signs of fear."

The Emperor sighed. "Mother is not going to be happy about this." He nodded at Gilles. "Open the door."

In haste, the Queen twisted the knob and pulled with a hard jerk. Dodging the sudden object that fell to the floor with a sickening squelching sound.

"Holy shit!" Danhauser took a step back; eyes widened in horror when the blatant expression of lifelessness was staring back at him, beneath it, a pool of started shaping.

"So we found the first one," Gilles grunted, dropping to one knee to inspect the corpse carefully.

"…" Danhauser didn't say a word, just staring back at those hollowed eyes. He could feel how his heart was ready to blow the whole cabin like a bomb.

"Cause of death?" Diehauser asked, keeping an eye out at his brother.

Gilles grabbed both sides of the deceased's head, grunting. "Something ravaged his neck, perhaps blood loss or drowned himself with his blood."

"Hm." Diehauser hummed, joining Gilles on the case, making sure Danhauser was still in place. "Something else before we move deeper?"

Muttering under his breath, Gilles patted every single part of the cadaver, mostly the locations where a pocket could be spotted. "Found something." He moved his hand deeper to the pocket, hissing when his hand suddenly started burning.

"Are you alright?" Diehauser asked, seeing how Gilles cursed quietly.

"Oui, oui," Gilles assured his King, taking a good hold of the object, ignoring the spasms of pain. "Just a little burn, nothing serious."

The former Marshal of France lifted the object to eye level, letting the Belial Brothers take a glance.

It was a necklace, with a cross.

"My my," Gilles chuckled, _darkly_. "It seems the _pigs_ are also involved in this mayhem."

"An exorcist?" Diehauser asked, knowing full well that's the nickname that Gilles gave them. "From what church?"

"Orthodox," Gilles nonchalantly answered, reading the small diary of the corpse, tossing it away like an empty bag of chips. "We should go inspect the whole place cautiously. We don not know what killed the pig."

"I think I have an idea." Diehauser frowned. "For now, let's just keep tracking clues, theories at the end of the case."

Nodding, Gilles walked out of the room to check make sure the room is clean from enemies.

Diehauser turned to his younger brother who was still staring the dead exorcist. "Dan, let's go, we have to explore a bit more."

Gulping Danhauser shakily nodded, not breaking his sight from the corpse, the image of his mouth agape, eyes bulged out, and blood spilled already engraved in his mind.

"You can still go home; it's not late," The Champion suggested, walking side by side with his brother.

Danhauser shook his head, taking a deep breath. "I-I'm okay." He responded, trembling. "It's… It's just I wasn't expecting to see a corpse so quick." He looked up, a small smile gracing his lips. "Thank you for letting me stay here."

"Still I doubt if I should have let you come here." Diehauser sighed, stopping to look around the surprisingly spacious room. "That's not what an older brother would do."

" _An_ overprotective older brother would do." Danhauser corrected. "Thankfully, you're not that type of brother."

"What sort of brother am I, then?"

Danhauser grinned, shooting him a thumbs up."The badass one."

They shared a small laugh.

Dropping their moment, Diehauser inspected the new room; as expected, everything destroyed, paintings broke in half, the walls and the door wearing scars made by a savage beast, wooden furniture following the same harsh treatment, and obviously, pools of blood with their respective owners lying on the floor.

Diehauser would also point out the lack of light, but since they have night vision, he didn't care.

"They are all dead, master," Gilles said, walking towards them.

"…" Diehauser spared the bag of bodies a quick glance before addressing his Queen. "Are they all Exorcist?"

Suddenly, Gilles expression turned cold. "The filthy pigs? Just two of them, counting the one we had left behind." Danhauser winced at his tone.

"This cabin is quite huge for a tribe," Danhauser commented, looking around the place, mostly the roof, just for the sake of ignoring the overpowering stench corrupting his nose.

"I agree with Dan," Diehauser tossed his two cents. "Do you know where we are? Since the tribe called you a lot of times, I presume you know our current location."

Gilles nodded. "Oui. This cabin belongs to the Tribe Leader." He shrugged, "I had helped them build it, same goes for the citizen."

"I see," Diehauser said with a sympathetic look. "I'll go outside to see if I can find more data, you two go stay in the shelter and find everything useful. If you find a survivor, take him out and _fast_." He faced Gilles with a hard look. "Even if he belongs to the church."

"…" Gilles clenched his fists, but nonetheless, he nodded.

"Good. Take care." Nodding, Lord Belial walked towards the door, closing it as he did so.

"You heard my King." Gilles rolled his neck, walking away with Danhauser following his tail. "Let us move. There is still one last place to check."

"Which one?" Danhauser asked, glancing up at the blue-haired French.

"The office." Was Gilles' only response, before quickening his movement. "How are you holding up so far, young master?"

"… Fine." Danhauser almost whispered, looking down at his feet. "Sorry if I'm acting like a burden, I just wanted to help."

Gilles waved off his apology. "Do not fret, young master. You being frightened is comprehensible this is the first time you lay hands on something morbid."

Danhauser nodded at his words. Gilles was right; this is the first time Danhauser had seen a corpse, even in his previous life. The ones in the movies didn't count, nor the ones macabre magazines had to offer. He had to admit, he slightly regretted coming here, but he needs to endure it, in the future who knows if he's going to see worse shit than this or worse, do this type of stuff.

"Here we are." Gilles' French voice brought to a halt his train of thoughts, shaking his head, he saw Gilles discreetly push the door open, doing his best keep quiet the door from creaking.

Once the door fully opened, Gilles moved his hand in front of Danhauser, mutely ordering him to stay here, the Queen pressed onwards, ready to face any dark monster hiding in the corner.

"…" Inspecting with his sharp ocean eyes, Gilles noted that the roof was practically broken, showing the beautiful and dark sky with a few clouds hiding the silvered moonlight horrendously. Looking back at the office, he saw the roof that once covered the owner from the rain turn into debris and crushed a person.

There was something that caught his attention.

It was a weapon and a _huge_ one. A two-handed crimson great sword with a dragon head emblazoned on the base. The blade stabbed perfectly on the table, cutting the piece of wood in half. It reminded him of the famous tale of the Sword in the Stone.

It was unique. Not because of the design, but the aura that it was sending in his direction, it made his spine tremble at the sensation. That weapon was by far different from the others, and strong one too.

"Clear," Gilles whispered loud enough for Belial to catch it, listening how Danhauser warily crept inside. He nodded in his direction and smirked when the gray-haired devil's eyes landed on the sword.

"Woah." Danhauser whistled, walking with Gilles to have a closer look of the weapon.

"Indeed." Gilles chuckled, not lowering his stance a little bit. After all, this may be an amateurish trap. "She's beautiful."

After saying that, Diehauser's Queen moved his hand to the handle, ready to have a good grasp on the weapon.

"Merde!" Gilles cursed loudly, snatching his hand back in pain.

"Are you okay?" Danhauser asked, taking a step back away from the broadsword.

Stretching his fingers, Gilles nodded. _"What was that?"_ He frowned, glaring at the mischievous sword. _"It felt like a snake stinging her fangs on my hand."_

Repeating his movements, Gilles slowly moved his hand towards the handle, this time with precaution. He stopped when his middle finger tapped the pommel, he waited.

…

Seeing the sword not attacking him once again made Gilles grin in victory, taking a good grip on the handle, before slowly taking the sword out from the—

 **"S-Stop it…"** They heard a dry voice call out, followed by something latching on Gilles' feet, forcing the latter to look down curiously.

Danhauser followed his gaze, seeing how a small arm filled with dust was trembling, the owner's body covered by huge chunks of broken wood.

"I-It's mine…" The voice coughed out. It was a boy around Danhauser's age or even a year younger.

"…" Taking the sword out from the wooden floor, he gave a quick hum of approval before wrapping the weapon on his back. "Young master, lend me your aid."

Not thinking twice, Danhauser helped Gilles on pushing the debris away from the child's back. When they finished, Belial immediately scanned his features; he has silver hair covered by small pieces of wood and dust, his menacing ruby red eyes glaring at the two devils, dry blood dirtying his handsome face. He was also wearing the same uniform as the previous exorcists.

"Leave it… my… sword." His red eyes grew heavy, slowly succumbing into unconsciousness.

"We need to take him somewhere safe," Danhauser said after a brief silence. "There's nothing else here—we should go back to Diehauser."

"…"

"…Gilles are you there?" Danhauser called out, slowly turning his eyes to the Queen, but stopped when he heard a groan coming from behind.

Jumping around in surprise, Danhauser found the man with half of the roof compressed on his back. What made him widen his eyes in horror was the next phase.

The unknown man had gasped before a sudden pain rushed over his bloodstream, creating intense agony. Danhauser could hear how his _bones_ outstretched, how his jawbone dislocated and developed into a viciously fanged mouth, blood-red eyes glaring at Belial as he continued howling in pain.

A werewolf.

"G-Gilles!" Danhauser called out, not looking away from the beast. "We need to move. They're werewolves!"

"…" Once again, the silence was his answer.

"Damn it!" Danhauser took aim with his fingers, ready to shoot a demonic bullet on the canine's brain. _"Wait…"_ Danhauser thought, looking at his hand, before facing the soon-to-be monster with a look of determination. " _Fuck it."_

He moved closer, ignoring how the beast tried to lunge at him, but the debris was keeping him at bay. For now.

Taking a deep breath, Danhauser began.

" _Lycanthropy, the user can turn into a werewolf either by a curse or via bite and scratch from another werewolf, their_ —" Danhauser stopped, instinctively shutting down his eyes, feeling how a massive blast of drool covered half of his face. He trembled in disgust before calming down his beating heart. "R-Right." He muttered, ignoring how _slowly_ the saliva started sliding to his chin _and_ the sound of fangs smashing together. _"Their senses, strength and speed change drastically…"_

" _Look at him, so small,"_ Bluebeard glared the unconscious child, grinning, pupils turning unusually tinier, his hand carefully shifting to his throat, disregarding his surroundings _. "So fragile, so innocent, so, SO KILLABLE!"_

"Now!" Danhauser pressed his engulfed hand of Worthlessness on top of the werewolf's head, narrowly dodging the bite of the beast. Belial cautiously watched how the canine's eyes widened as dinner plates, his jaw wide open, showing strings of saliva.

Then once again, it began howling in pain and shook his head wildly, forcing Danhauser to break the grasp from his scalp. The uproars of the beast were enough to stop even Gilles in his tracks.

Danhauser just stood there, watching in amazement how the symbol of his Household remained tattooed atop the werewolf's head, slowly morphing back to his human form. Eyes tinting from red to brown, the hair over his face slowly ceasing, and the worst part, the sound of bones cracking as they shifted in their former shape.

But after five seconds, Worthlessness shattered, stopping just for a millisecond before once again turning the innocent man into a fierce animal.

Danhauser repeated his previous movements, this time, however, he'd kept his palm atop the wolf's head, not letting the transformation take over the cursed being. Slowly, yet effectively the howls turned into screams of suffering.

" _As long as I don't take my hand away from the victim, Worthlessness timer will always stay in zero. Always."_ Danhauser mused, sighing with relief when he noticed how the man's head fell to the floor. _"He's out of cold, after all, he went through some shit."_

 **"Look away."** Danhauser heard Gilles' voice from behind, he obeyed and took his hand away, immediately understanding Gilles' next actions.

Feeling how small drops of blood landed on his cheek made Danhauser gasp for air, not daring to look at Gilles' handiwork. He had known that even if he'd nullified the alteration, the man wouldn't have a way to escape from the lycanthropy curse, so ending his suffering was the best option. "W-What took you so long?"

"There is no time," Gilles spoke, tossing the child at Danhauser with utter dislike. "You need to leave, your brother and I will take care of the pest."

"…" Danhauser didn't say a word, lifting the child's arm around his neck, nodding. He let Gilles made a standard magic circle, not the one that only those affiliated with the House of Belial could use as a source of transport, but the basic one, the one that allows anyone to go inside, including enemies.

"Good luck," Danhauser muttered before getting warped away with the knocked brat.

* * *

" _Where are they…."_ Danhauser walked in circles, biting his thumb nervously. _"They should've finished all the werewolves already!"_

A part of him wanted to stay and help, but he knew that he's only going to be a weight for Diehauser and Gilles, the best option was to escape and let them fight freely without worrying of the young Belial getting wounded. He asked for the maids around the corridors for their help, since he was still carrying the unknown child, he didn't know medical skills.

Thankfully they reacted quickly, carefully taking the young exorcist to Danhauser's room, most of them wearing careful looks since the brat has an affiliation with the church, but nonetheless, they attended his wounds. Until then he hadn't wake up from his deep slumber.

Danhauser only hoped he's not dead, it wouldn't just be awkward, but fucked up, sleeping on the bed where a child died because of a werewolf invasion? Yeah, no.

He was tired, but the adrenaline passing through his veins kept him with conventional energy. He'd been through harsh training with Diehauser, writing long ass power lists to have an advantage in the future _and_ going on a contract with Gilles that had turned into a fight against werewolves? He'd wanted to take a good rest, but it wasn't the time, he still had important business to solve.

Prince Belial felt a warm light caressing his back, making the toddler sigh with relief, turning around just in time when the light disappeared he smiled at the sight, seeing the King and Queen unharmed.

Nodding at Danhauser's direction, he addressed him. "Are you okay?" Seeing how his brother returned the gesture, he asked. "Is mother and Cleria already at home?"

Danhauser shook his head. "No, they're still out doing girl stuff."

Diehauser sighed, relaxed. "Good, I live for another day." He took a deep breath from his nostrils. "Alright, let's start. First of all, everyone here agrees that the cause of all this was because of a werewolf?"

"Yeah."

"Of course."

"Then let me ask the one million dollar question." Diehauser paused. " _Why_? Why they attacked that small village?"

Gilles grunted, shrugging. "It could be for a lot of reasons, to expand they territory in the forest, or increase their numbers."

"For what purpose?"

"To save their race from extinction?" Danhauser joined the conversation. "I mean, I suppose that they are a race slowly vanishing from this world."

"Depends on the location," Gilles stated. "In Europe werewolves are a thing that Exorcist always hunt down, including vampires, in a place like Japan is an enigma to see one."

"There you go then; perhaps they tried to build an army of werewolves to kill vampires? If I heard correctly in school, they have had a heated rivalry for centuries." Danhauser mused.

"Maybe you're right." Diehauser lifted a finger under his chin. "How about the exorcists? What were they doing there?"

"Perhaps they had called the help of those filthy pigs." Gilles sneered.

"Couldn't they just asked for yours instead?" Diehauser folded his arms. "You're capable enough to kill a horde of those if they ever think of attacking you."

"Guys, I think I know who can answer us all our questions…" Danhauser trailed off, seeing how he easily earned their looks of confusion, he nodded at his bed. "We only found one survivor, and right now, he's sleeping."

"Ah yes," Gilles grunted, dissatisfied. "Young master and I found a young pig in a small office room, the same place where I found her." He nodded to the sword sheathed on his back.

"Then let's wake him up." Diehauser faced his Queen. "You know what to do, but keep your anger in check."

"My _pleasure_." Gilles chuckled, moving towards the bed, he snapped his fingers, summoning a magic circle, blasting the kid with a shot of water.

"The hell!" The boy moved upwards, flailing his hands around his face, trying to dry it off. "Who did that?!"

"Sorry for waking you up," Diehauser called out, snatching his attention. "I hope you don't mind answering some questions."

The boy frowned suspiciously, pushing aside his wet silvered hair from his forehead. "With who am I speaking?"

"Confidential." The Emperor dismissed his question. "We found you in a small tribe, and I hope you could—!"

"The tribe!" The boy gasped, eyes widened. "They require my assistance!" He shifted his sight to different corners, trying to find something precious to him. "My sword?! Where is it?!"

That's when Gilles cackled, making the child glare at him. "Sword? _This_ sword?" For the sakes of angering the toddler, the Queen took out the sword from his back and gave a few swings.

"N-No way…" The Exorcist trailed off, shocked at seeing his legendary sword being wielded by someone else. "My sword… he chose someone else as its wielder…?"

"What are you talking about?" Danhauser finally spoke.

"My sword… just ditched me for another carrier." He laughed dryly, ignoring Danhauser's question. "All those exhausting struggles… was just a mockery? Who is this man?"

"We are jumping away from the subject," Diehauser commented, shooting a small glare at Gilles, the latter sheathing the weapon away in response. "Before we start, I want to know your name."

The red eyes of the child suddenly brightened with pride, slowly standing up, he faced the three devils with an aura of courage backing him. "I _am_ Siegfried. Descendant of the Dragon Slayer himself and top warrior in the Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox Churches, well met."

His introduction made Danhauser stiffen, he remembered hearing that name, and now that the young Devil scanned his features deeply, he'd knew he wasn't messing around. The swordsman of the infamous Hero Faction is standing here, in his room.

" _Wait… does that means?"_ Danhauser slowly turned to look at Gilles' new toy, gasping.

" _Is that the Strongest Demon Sword, Gram?"_

* * *

 **-Guest Review-**

 **Lurker: La verdad, yo siempre veia a Sairaorg como el personaje que no mostraba debilidad delante de sus abusadores, pero aun asi, lloraba a escondidas. Me alegra que gusto el capitulo, gracias por la review, saludos!**

* * *

 **End.**

 **Welp. I think you guys can figure it out what's going to happen with Siegfried.**

 **Now, I'll explain why I chose him. I'm proudly a mythboo from the heart and out, and one of my favorite mythology heroes was Siegfried. For a lot of reasons, one of them being because I love that name.**

 **Plus I had never read about Siegfried joining a peerage. He's underrated for someone with a powerful armory. IMO.**

 **Also, I read about Siegfried's Wikia. Yes, I know what I wrote, just be patient. Don't want to spoil a thing.**

 **Also, this means that Kiba is not going to have the demonic swords before anyone starts assaulting me, let's keep in mind that Yuuto has two damn Sacred Gears, each one with a Balance Breakers and he can wield holy swords. I think taking those weapons from him is not going to affect him at all.**

 **Hopefully, this is going to satisfy your curiosity since I'm getting a lot of Pms about who's on Danhauser peerage.**

 **A small spoiler is coming through, don't say I didn't warn you.**

 **Six are going to be from DxD Universe.**

 **Four (if we count Danhauser) are going to be Oc's.**

 **For those that expected to see characters from other's animes then I'm sorry, but that would not happen. I would write a speech about it, but I'll hold my tongue. I don't want to offend anyone.**

 **Anyways, thank you for your support guys, I can't believe we reached a lot of favorites, followers, reviews, and views and this is my first fanfic ever. I thought it was gonna suck a lot. Hahaha! If you spot any glaring errors, don't hesitate to say it, I'll be thankful.**

 **Cheers!**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Evil Tail Malebranche  
**


	7. Evil Tail Malebranche

**Chapter 7: Evil Tail Malebranche**

* * *

Barely several minutes had passed since Diehauser, and Gilles had cleaned the whole tribe from the malicious werewolves. They'd took more time since the King wanted to see if there was someone without bites or claws across their bodies. Unfortunately, they'd failed in their research. After coming back to the manor, they'd teleported to Danhauser's room and had a brief conversation about theories to shape the case.

Of course, their efforts _at least_ paid off since they'd succeeded in saving only one human who's affiliation is with the church, much to Gilles' disgust. The kid is called Siegfried, sharing the same name as his ancestor who is famous for slaying the Golden Monarch Dragon, Fafnir, with the Demonic Emperor Sword, Gram.

The amazing feat about Siegfried is his boasting as one of the _strongest_ exorcists that the church has available in their ranks. Danhauser believed in him since the bastard could keep up with Kiba and Xenovia without breaking a sweat in the Light Novels _plus_ he was one of the strongest swordsmen in Khaos Brigade, just behind Arthur Pendragon.

Diehauser as always, wearing his deadpan expression, preferring to judge the new character in his mind.

Gilles, on the other hand, stuck with laughing his ass off.

Siegfried's left eye twitched, fists clenched at his sides. "I don't recall announcing a buffoonery."

"You do not?!" Gilles said between his laughter. "Top Warrior! _A Top Warrior?!_ I cannot believe your headquarters has declared you as their ace!"

Danhauser was impressed at how the teenager repressed his emotions at Gilles' mockery. Exorcists have always been sticklers for discipline. It seems that their teachings indeed had paid off, for a second he thought that the young Exorcist would lunge at Diehauser's Queen and die in the process.

"You shouldn't judge a book by its cover," Siegfried retorted. "I have proofs," frowning, muttering the last part. "No… the better term would be I had…"

"Oh _really?_ " Gilles smirked, apparently missing the last sentence. "Would you kindly show it to us?"

The Exorcist folded his arms, nodding at the sword on Gilles' back. "Your answer lies on your back. Gram is truly picky when choosing a new possessor; she's always seeking for the strongest swordsmen, I was one of those until you came to the picture."

The Queen scoffed, shoving Siegfried's praise aside. "I am not. I assure you."

"You're lying." Siegfried shook his head. "If that was the case then why she has chosen you?"

"You know, you're relatively calm," Diehauser interrupted the conversation, drawing the Exorcist's attention. "Hadn't you said something about 'saving the tribe' a few minutes ago? You're just wasting your time."

"Because as far as I can tell, you three already had done that," Siegfried answered, eliciting arched eyebrows from the three.

"What makes you think we'd saved that place?" Danhauser quipped.

"You'd found me unconscious in the cabin, isn't it?"

"Oh _yes_ , we had." Gilles snickered, darkly. "What an _incredible_ way to prove us that you are, without a doubt, one of the strongest Exorcists around, I am downright _frightened!_ "

Growling silently at the sarcasm, Siegfried moved on. "Then that means you'd also took care of the enemy and saved the innocent people." A faint smile graced on his lips, bowing his head in respect. "I speak on behalf of the tribe and thank you for saving us—we are in your debt."

Danhauser felt a sudden knot tied around his throat, memories of the bloodshed flashing in his mind. Does that mean that Siegfried was the first one to get knocked out? He'd missed the screams of pain and begging from the people?

Siegfried was half right and half wrong with his theory since Diehauser and Gilles had defeated the werewolves, but unfortunately, all of them were the nomad people with corrupted hearts.

"…" Diehauser hadn't said a word, not breaking eye contact with the grateful child.

Breaking his bow, he nodded at Diehauser. "I presume you're the one in charge?" Not waiting for a response, he requested. "If you wouldn't mind, I wish to greet my people _and_ the exorcists that had accompanied me during my travel."

"…I can't." The Emperor answered after a tensed silence, dragging a frown from the silver-haired boy.

"I understand that you have a lot of questions." Siegfried tried to negotiate, clearly not noticing the change of atmosphere. "But, can we address that later? I need to see if they're—"

"You don't get the point." Diehauser sighed, shaking his head. "The tribe and the Exorcists... they didn't make it."

…

"…Excuse me?" Siegfried suppressed a shudder.

"You heard what I'd said." Diehauser tried to sound gentle, but he failed, his expression and tone hard as stone. "I'm sorry."

"I-I…" The silver-haired stammered, his voice suddenly desolate of emotions, shakily taking a seat on the bed. "I lost my sword and the people that saw me as their… hero? Just like that?"

If Danhauser hasn't felt awkward before, now's the chance, especially when the three stood there like vultures waiting for their prey die from dehydration, you can guess who is who. No one lifted a finger, Diehauser as usual, stoic. Gilles hasn't shown signs of sadness—he'd just rolled his eyes and gave the child his well-earned silence.

Danhauser was looking around gawkily, trying to push the obnoxious presence invading his room, he wasn't good with this type of stuff at all. Sairarog was a different story since those scars are just slow and easy to heal, the future strongest youth is fishing for a friend, and Danhauser can be that fish. Belial just needs to earn the trust of Bael.

"What're your questions then?" Siegfried whispered, eyes obscured by his beautiful silver hair.

"... Are you affiliated with both tribe and church?" The Champion asked, hoping the question wouldn't damage Siegfried more than he is.

"Only the church," Siegfried replied quietly, sure as hell still hurt from the shocking news.

"Then why would you be there?" Diehauser immediately jumped to the next question. "They'd asked for your comrades' assistance?"

Siegfried laughed dryly. "Don't take my words to heart." He paused, clenching his fist. "Truthfully, the Clan saw me as one of them even if I was involved with the Christians. Whenever I had the chance, I would pay them a visit. Unfortunately, the church had to stick their noses whenever I go, just to make sure that I wasn't spreading confidential information."

"And today you were visiting them?" Diehauser speculated, earning a slow nod from the Exorcist. "What's the name of the tribe?"

Surprisingly, Gilles answered the question. "Volsung. That was the name of the Clan."

"How would you know?" Siegfried demanded.

"That is none of your business." Gilles sneered back.

"Do you remember how everything had happened?" Diehauser intervened, not wishing to start a bar fight. "Any idea of sorts?"

"I was the first one to lose consciousness, but I remember something falling through the roof, knocking both myself and the Tribe's Chief."

"A werewolf," Danhauser muttered, remembering the lack of roof inside the littered room. "The one that had created all the massacre begun from there, fissuring the ceiling with no bother."

"…" Siegfried sat quietly, like a scolded child who'd stole from the cookie jar, digesting all the information.

"Only one, though?" Diehauser turned to his brother. "I mean, I'm pretty sure they'd knew how to defend themselves. I'd discovered a few swords lying around on the floor... near the corpses, plus three exorcists were temporary watching over them, they could have had taken care of any creature without breaking a sweat."

"Oui. They had known how to fight." Gilles chimed in, "I had shown them basics of the way of the sword. A pity that was not enough to protect them."

"Also, let's keep in mind that this had happened around day time, perhaps slowly approximating the sunset." Diehauser reminded them, he faced Siegfried. "Or not?"

"…" Siegfried only nodded, locked inside his mind, however, he would shoot a suspicious glare at Gilles now and then, something that hasn't go unnoticed by Danhauser.

"If that is true then how could they had transformed into a beast?" Gilles frowned, shaking his head. "The shapeshifter can only turn at will when it is a full moon."

"Which conveniently that'd happened the moment we teleported in the cabin." Danhauser clicked his tongue, arms folded. "Someone had been scheming this for a long time." He wetted his dry lips. "But Gilles is right, how the figure had turned itself into a werewolf if the moon wasn't even out from the skies?"

"Easy. That was either a Ultimate-Class werewolf or a High-Class." Diehauser answered with a matter-of-fact tone. "Something that you should know is that an Ultimate lycanthropic can shapeshift at will, without worrying about the cycles of daytime and nighttime, High Class is a rare case, but there have had been incidents about it."

"What about Middle and low Class?"

"Low Class are the ones we'd found in the tribe; they would get hurt since their bone structure is shaping for the first time, _and_ they're in the berserk-like state. They'd only transform during a full moon." Diehauser took a deep breath. "Middle ones are the ones that either can control their mental state, _but_ they still get hurt by their mutation or the other way around."

"So can we all agree that the one that had invaded the tribe was an Ultimate-type?" Diehauser received nods from the two devils. "In conclusion, the attack had started during the fall of the sun, where Siegfried was with the Tribe Leader, the beast fell from the roof and knocked the Exorcist—"

"'Top Warrior.'" Gilles summoned the air quotes, chuckling, scoring a warning glare from the human.

"—followed by attacking the Tribe Leader."

"Hearing the screams of their leader, the two exorcists and citizens tried to see what happened but they hadn't reached too far since the beast made it in the main lobby first, resuming its slaughtering from there." Danhauser continued.

"And lastly, the bastard went outside and infected the rest of the tribe members." Gilles reached the climax of the story, sighing.

"That would be the best theory we could grasp in our hands. Case closed." Diehauser nodded, facing the ever silent Exorcist. "Since it's bedtime, I'll let you stay here just for today, until then, you either go back to the church or do something else with your life. If you follow me, I'll see if there's still a vacant—"

"What were you three been doing in the tribe?" Siegfried interrupted, snarling quietly. "Don't give me the excuse of 'We were just passing through.'"

"We were just passing through."

"Why you—!"

"Gilles…" Diehauser pinched the tip of his nose, groaning. "Please, refrain of angering our temporal guest."

Gilles only snickered.

"You three haven't answered my question." Siegfried reminded them, his sharp look not lessening a bit.

"Well, he was going to figure it out anyway…" Diehauser trailed off. "I'll keep it blunt. We'd made contracts with them."

"I knew it," Siegfried grumbled, hammering a clenched fist over the bed. "You weren't humans at all—all of you are devils."

"Aren't you worried?" Danhauser asked, catching the Exorcist's attention. "I mean, you're talking with three Devils _so_ casually…"

Siegfried scoffed, shrugging away Danhauser's statement. "You'd already offered me a bedroom to stay here for the night. I doubt you're using me as bait to lure the Exorcists."

"So, you're fine sleeping under Devil Territory?" Danhauser pressed on.

Siegfried once again shrugged. "What else can I do? You three are standing in front of the only exit in this room; it would be foolish to try and fight without my equipment in hands." He paused, immediately adding. "And this bed appears to be comfy; it would be a waste to neglect a single night of luxury."

"…" Danhauser made a sound with his nose. Seeing Siegfried carry a stoic expression and answering all his questions nonchalantly, made the Devil slightly anxious, how can someone act like that after knowing that a canine induced in steroids murdered his allies and a Clan that saw him as one of their own?

" _Or is he trying to act strong?"_ Danhauser's eyes still locked on Siegfried's red ones. It was unnoticeable for those who didn't concentrate his gaze on that particular place. Danhauser could see the pain lingering in those ruby tinted eyes after hearing who'd killed them.

"There's something that I'm not fine with," Siegfried spoke, immediately breaking eye contact. His glare focused on Gilles. "I've been in deep thought about a matter; I cannot accept Gram settled on your grip."

"Hoh?"

"Gram may have chosen you, but even then, I don't think it's fair to earn a reward without challenging her former owner first... I will assess your talent."

"Are you challenging me to a sword fight?" Gilles grinned, knowing full well the answer to his question.

"If I win, I'll take my leave with Gram." Siegfried gambled. "If I lose, you can have her, and I'll walk away with empty pockets."

"Hm." Gilles hummed, scratching his chin in deep thought. Finally, he nodded, grin widening. "I accept. Rules?"

"You cannot use Gram during the sword fight," Siegfried answered almost immediately.

"Ah, of course." Gilles bobbed his head in acknowledgment. "If I did, the fight would not be fair at all, anything else?"

"You can use more than one sword."

Gilles raised a brow at the second rule, but remained quiet, silently agreeing. "Alright, then tomorrow we may commence our duel."

Siegfried nodded, facing Danhauser. "Perhaps you would know where my stuff is? I had a basic sword of light attached to my waist, but it's gone now."

Danhauser was slightly surprised. "Uh, the maids took all your dangerous equipment away, just to keep me safe." He scratched the back of his neck. "I'd asked them to leave them under my care, but since I'm still a child, they'd immediately refused my order."

"Could you give them back to me?" Seeing Danhauser nod, he returned the gesture. "Excellent. Can I temporarily use some new swords for my match?"

" _Do you want some damn fries with that?"_ Gilles scowled, not liking the idea of supplying a filthy _exorcist_ with his precious weapons. He didn't want to fight him either, such a waste of time, but after thinking about it for a while, he'd immediately accepted just to humiliate him in front of everyone just for the sakes of it. Not like his master needs to know this, right?

" _The more swords, the greater the beating."_ Gilles chuckled at the thought, smiling down at Siegfried. "Of course you can. I'll just take them out from the armory."

"Great. You have my gratitude." Siegfried returned the smile with a small of his own. He turned to the Champion. "Is the room still ready willing and able to its use?"

"Yes." Diehauser gestured at the exit. "If you follow me, we'll find a room for your taste." Nothing else to add, the Emperor walked away, followed by his Queen and the one-night guest.

"Wait!" Danhauser called out, stopping the three from their tracks. He took a deep breath, facing the Exorcist dead in the eye. "Can I speak with you, please?"

Siegfried was slightly surprised by the sudden question, but he'd hidden it beneath his mask, being an exorcist, you need to keep your emotions hidden at all cost, we don't want your foes teasingly pulling the right strings, right?

"If you want, we can wait outside." Diehauser offered, pointing the door with his thumb. "We have time to waste, so don't worry."

"I see," Siegfried responded, not looking away from Danhauser's gray orbs. "Then I guess I'll listen to what you have to say."

Danhauser held back a victorious fist pump; he knew this was just a small step to achieve what he truly wants.

He wants Siegfried on his peerage. There, he said it. The chances for the Exorcist to accept? It's one in a million in Danhauser's eyes since he's _not_ a Stray Exorcist and still a follower of a particular religion, but that hasn't stopped him from at least _trying_. If his memory is right, Siegfried joined the church for the sakes of fighting fellow swordsmen. Hence the reason why he later followed Cao Cao, just to find worthy people and thus started a one-sided rivalry with Arthur Pendragon.

" _If Cao Cao wants him, then he can kindly come here and suck my True Longinus."_ Like hell, he's going to waste such the Hero Faction. He's the protagonist of his tale.

"Then we'll wait." The Champion drawled, sending a small nod at his younger brother, completely understanding his unoffensive plot.

Waiting for the two eldest Devils walk away from the room, Danhauser sighed, steeling his nerves. If the child before him doesn't accept, then he's going to respect his answer like an adult, the last thing he'd ever wanted is to force their will to join him, that's a marvelous way to make your servants turn into Stray Devils.

"Okay." Danhauser took a deep breath. "I stopped you here because I want to make you an offer. Something that could benefit the both of us."

"…" Siegfried kept his silence in check, accidentally slipping a look of surprise beaming in his eyes. At first, he was perplexed by Danhauser's words, but after repeating mentally the sentence two or three times, he finally understood which only made his astonishment frame his face.

" _Is he trying to…?"_

Folding his arms, the exorcist harrumphed. "What kind of offer you're speaking of?"

Danhauser went straight to the point. "To keep it brief. I want you to join my Peerage."

Siegfried kept a straight face after hearing the proposal. "Your Peerage." He recited, evoking a hum. "Are you kidding, right?"

"No, I'm not," Danhauser replied. "Even if you don't have Gram anymore, I can tell you're still skilled. I want people like you."

Siegfried fixed his stare on him for a good amount of time, trying to spot any untruth in his words."Ah." Suddenly, he chuckled as if he'd just arrived in time to witness the birth and climax of a joke.

Finally, he started talking, notwithstanding, he struggles on forming coherent words. "H-Hold on… you _want_ an _Exorcist_ to join the Peerage of a _Devil?_ "

Before Danhauser could express his reasoning, Siegfried took the lead, bursting into a fit of laughter, making the devil's cheeks burn slightly.

Danhauser felt his pride slowly withering away, as he kept looking at the Exorcist making fun of his invitation. He has to admit; it sounds stupid if you say it aloud, but it is not stupid if it works.

"Dear Lord, this is _too_ much to handle!" Siegfried exclaimed, slapping his forehead in amusement. "What's next? A nun, falling in love for a Devil?!"

Danhauser's left eyebrow twitched now in annoyance. He'd honestly preferred a blunt and cold 'No' then _THIS!_

In the nick of time, his chortles soon died out, much to Danhauser's relief. Coughing on his fist, he cleared his throat to speak. "Please, don't let my snickers offend you."

" _Too late_." Danhauser merely grunted. _"For knowing his favorite Clan died, he surely is having a lot of fun."_ He held back a smile, letting the Exorcist have his fun—a good way to keep depression from fogging his mind.

Danhauser then sighed, slightly disappointed at the unfortunate turn of events, it was evident, though. "I'll shoot in the dark here and surmise that you won't join?"

Siegfried slowly nodded and changed his position, ready to summon his sub-species Sacred Gear if things started to get messy. "You guessed right."

"Are you sure?" The gray Devil tried to persuade him. "This place is like a haven. _Great_ meals, a place where you can practice swordsmanship, and your name is going to increase significantly by getting recruited by a prestigious House, and also, cozy bed, remember?" He pointed to the bunk.

"A pleasant offer, but my answer is still no."

"How unlucky," Danhauser muttered, giving Siegfried one last nod followed by a sad smile. "Well, at least I tried, good luck in your fight against Gilles, you'll need it." Turning around, he headed towards his bed, ready to sleep like a rock.

" _That's it?"_ Siegfried scowled, seeing how the Devil jumped to his bed as if nothing happened. Is he not going to force him? Kill him? Or at least even try to ask him why did he'd refused his proposal?

" _Is he playing tricks?_ " He may be a child around his age or slightly older, but he's still a Devil from heart and blood. They're globally known as manipulators _and_ embodiments of sins. Even then, these Devils, in particular, were kind enough to provide him refuge for the night, but perhaps they're waiting for him to fall asleep to make their move?

"What're you doing?" Siegfried felt his tongue moved on its own. He immediately regretted his actions.

"Going to sleep," Danhauser answered, turning back. "Can't I?"

"Are you not going to kill me? So you can take advantage of my weakened state and turn me into your servant?"

Danhauser blinked at Siegfried's words, his look turning bitter. "Honestly? You'd kill me right on the spot. I don't want to resort to violence when I try recruiting potential members." He paused, gesturing towards the door. "You have a significant bout tomorrow, right? You should be well-rested."

"You're weird," The human blurted out.

Belial smiled at the remark. "Good night."

"…" Watching how the Devil—Danhauser—shifted around the bed to find a suitable position made the Exorcist turn around and open the door and close it, earning a nod from Diehauser and an annoying glare of Gilles, they walked away, ready to find an empty bedchamber for the young swordsman.

* * *

"Why are we here, again?" Danhauser yawned, stretching his arms widely. Since yesterday, Danhauser immediately had fallen asleep, after all, that chaos had occurred he wouldn't be surprised how'd quickly his eyes gave up.

The match between the Exorcist and Gilles hasn't started, yet. He's not going to miss that one even if he already knew who's going to be the victor.

" _Maybe when the match is over, I should give it another shot."_ Danhauser sighed, Siegfried is such a good member for his peerage to be left wasted. He's going to try once again. All or nothing as they say.

"We're here to pick up Uncle Coda!" Cleria jumped in joy, squealing.

"After a long time he finally decides to show up?" Danhauser, cocked an eyebrow, he honestly didn't want to be here, at all. He's not a morning person.

"Pretty much, yeah," Diehauser responded, watching how another train left the station. "I'd told you, everyone had expected him to be late."

"And why would he be late?" Danhauser pressed on the conversation. "He has an outstanding job on the Underworld?

"Maybe he was in jail."

"What."

"His work consists of keeping an eye out for prisoners not escaping their cells." Cleria clarified. "Don't let Diehauser's words unsettle you."

"What I say still stands, though," Diehauser breathed out heavily. "Maybe the Ars Goetia government arrested him for breaking the same rule over and over again."

"Give him a break, would you? He's not _that_ bad!"

"I never said he's a bad person, Cleria." Diehauser retorted, drawing a pout from the young woman. "I'm just saying that he needs to cool down, I'm still baffled on how quickly he gets out. Maybe dad had to convince them."

"Which rule he broke?"

"Devils can't fly in the Underworld or use magic circles, hence the means of transport." Diehauser motioned to their surroundings. "Funnily that is one of the rules I implied, ah, how troublesome."

" _If I remember correctly, Tannin flew to our territory."_ Danhauser frowned, before blinking.

Hold on a second.

"Wait, you made the rules?" Danhauser asked, surprised.

Diehauser merely shrugged a single shoulder. "Changed a few, made a few." He sighed tiredly. "I'd never explained to you what's the purpose of being a Lord of the House of Belial, right?"

"Not really."

"In a nutshell, I'm a Senator," Diehauser started, trying to find the appropriate words. "The most important functions of a Senator is to make laws, maintain legal order updated by modifying the law, and ratify or reject Bael's and Maou's proposals."

"In other words, he's _the_ law." Cleria added, grinning.

Danhauser gulped. He knew that sooner or later he was going to take his brother's place in the senatorship, imagining standing in front with all the Noble Devils observing each step he made was enough to make him shiver. "Sounds rough to leave it on someone's shoulders."

"I'm not the only senator, though," The Emperor stated. "Housecarls who's ranking is King are senators, too, but unlike them, I'm the Head of the Senate."

Still, it sounds terrible, knowing exactly that Underworld's corruption is all thanks to the hand of the Old Devils, meaning that there are a few things that remained unseen from Diehauser's eyes. A prime example would be the King Piece. Sure as hell there'd been occasions where they'd ignored Diehauser's opposition since we are ranting about the remaining Noble Devil Clans _and_ the House of Bael against him, and if Zekram is involved in the feud, then the Champion has nothing else to do than obliging to their demands.

If it wasn't for the case that Bael is one of the purest houses, most respected _and_ feared around the Underworld. Diehauser could've had the upper hand.

Sairaorg's father is an asshole, there's no doubt in that, but _maybe_ he's doing his duty as a true Great King, _somewhat_ rightly, since Lord Bael _sometimes_ accept _s_ Diehauser's rejections and new rules. Even if he doesn't agree with them, maybe he sees them in the eyes of the Devils' population and how it would benefit them.

Suddenly, a train stopped right in front of them, making the young of the three blink in surprise, his consciousness pulling him back to the real world. Watching how the twin doors slowly opened with a hissing sound, revealing a shadowed figure standing in the entrance.

"All right everyone, Uncle Malacoda is back in town, and he brought the boom!" The figure blared a laugh, leaping out of the railroad car and standing in front of the three gray haired Devils.

"Uncle Coda!" Cleria squealed graciously, immediately rushing and hugging the now named Malacoda.

Malacoda returned the gesture, patting her back, his laugh not fading away. "Now, now! I know you missed me _so_ much, but let me breathe a little, yeah?"

Cleria giggled and took a step away, her smile spread on her face. "How was the voyage?"

Malacoda grunted. "It was meh. The travel was similar to the food they'd offered, shitty." Suddenly he grinned, his red eyes glimmering with appetite. "But the ladies, phew!" He kissed his fingertips as if he'd just palated something out from this world. "Wish I could've drawn them as my French girls!"

" _Uncle_!"

"I kid, I kid!" Malacoda playfully raised his hands in defense, winning a soft slap on his shoulder from Cleria's part.

"…" Danhauser let the conversation ooze in, watching the interactions between the two Devils behind his brother's presence. Studying each part of his body, he has the same demonic aura as his mother—Calcabrina—something that could be a tad confusing in the future. Danhauser admitted it, he's handsome, while his hair is dark, a portion of it in the back and several streaks tinged with red. His red eyes looked _way_ lighter than his mother's which were darker in comparison.

Three things that made him shine from other Devils: his _almost_ sadistic grin, the three spears lunged on his back _and_ the barbed tail gunked on his lower waist.

Honestly, this new Devil was like a male version of Calcabrina.

" _Isn't he the one who'd moaned when I'd yanked his tail?"_

"Wait. The first thing you'd said when you'd stepped out of the train was supposed to be a catch phrase or something, Uncle?" Diehauser asked, finally annexing himself to the conversation.

Malacoda frowned, trying to roll back in time just to remember what he'd previously had said, succeeding, he shot his nephew a grin followed by a wink. "Thought I'd try it out, see what you think! Always open for-!"

"It was horrible."

"Ew, Cleria, you should show this _filthy_ peasant some manners." Malacoda hissed before pinching the tip of his nose in disgust. "He should also take a bath, fuck's sake man!"

The Emperor smiled, letting Cleria savor the moment. "I can see you're acting like someone your age and not your shoe size, geezer."

Malacoda grinned and wrapped an arm around Diehauser's shoulder. "Yeah, yeah. You know you love my performance." His smile softened. " _Anyways_ how's work for ya?"

Lord Belial heaved a sigh. "Nothing changed for the worst, thankfully. How about yours?"

Malacoda scratched his head with his barbed tail. "I was going to talk about that, but I want everyone to hear it, so yeah, I'll explain it later." He broke the embrace with a squeeze, facing the younger Belial. He grinned. "Now for the dessert!"

" _Oh no."_

Before his uncle could make a move, a hand froze him in place. "He lost his memories." It was Diehauser, warning him with a hushed tone, making sure his brother hasn't heard them.

Malacoda's tail stopped moving for a second, before once again following the soft whispering of the wind. "Got it!"

Danhauser decided to make the first move. "Uh, hey uncle."

"…" Malacoda bent his knees towards the floor, contemplating Danhauser. Contented, he smiled and ruffled his gray hair. "I'm still pissed when you'd pulled my tail, you know? But I can let it slide, for now."

Suddenly, the bystander's little shoes left the floor, now landing on Malacoda's shoulders, thankfully Uncle's spears were aiming downwards. "Don't move! We don't want to pay the doctor a visit now do we?"

Danhauser obeyed his teasing.

"We should go," Cleria suggested, pointing a thumb to their private train. "We're here just to pick you up. Now we can leave."

"Agreed," Diehauser tossed his two cents. "I don't want to miss Gilles' duel."

Making sure his nephew is safe, he nodded. "Gil? Fighting? Lead the way, Houser!"

As they walked to their transport, Danhauser hesitantly patted his head. Surprisingly it was soft. He'd thought it'd be raw and sharp.

"What's up, kiddo?" Malacoda looked up, smirking.

"What's your Housecarl's name?" Obviously, he's Calcabrina's brother, a good way to know about his mother's background is asking the eldest of the family.

"Ah right, your memory loss," Malacoda muttered the last part. "Okay, let's start with a quick introduction, yeah?" He cleared his throat. "The name's Malacoda Malebranche, Head of the House Malebranche, fourth-ranked in Rating Games _and_ most importantly, your lucky uncle, nice to meet yah!"

* * *

Danhauser had read the narrative poem: Divine Comedy, anyone had, either as homework for school or just to kill some time in their respective houses. He, however, hadn't expected it to be a _thing_ in this universe, of course, Malebolge is officially a location from the Underworld _and_ Vritra's balance breaker, but he hasn't predicted Malacoda being a character.

Anywho, his mother, Calcabrina Belial—née Malebranche—was raised in Malebolge, interestingly enough, she was the only female of her former Housecarl, in other words, Malebranche is now a male-populated Clan. His uncle, commonly known as "Evil Tail Malacoda" is a participant in the Rating Games and an influential member, too, achieving the fourth rank, as previously boasted by his uncle.

" _If the Malebranche's are real, then it means that Dante and Virgil were the first humans to come back in one piece from the Underworld?"_ Could it be that Dante's poem, Divine Comedy, is an actual map of the Underworld? Did the two poets indeed reached Cocytus and met the wicked Samael? If so, then it means that Samael is the "Satan" described in the literature?

Too many questions, so little answers.

He doesn't know a lot about his maternal relatives' culture, yet. Danhauser had made a mental note to talk either to his uncle or mother about their pasts, ask Malacoda how to use Malebranche's Clan trait _and_ the arts of manipulating a spear. Yes, he'd finally decided, he's going to wield the spear, it's the safest weapon in his eyes.

Whatever, back to business.

Standing far away from the manor, deeper in the forest, everyone stood in a beautiful wooden bridge and under the latter, a river—they're still in Belial Territory even if they'd walked away from the castle. The bridge was huge, to the point that three carriages could roll side by side with room to spare.

And all that space is going to be used for Gilles' and Siegfried's fight.

"I still can't believe you'd allowed an Exorcist stay in the manor." Cleria deadpanned. "That was reckless from your part."

"It was just for one night." Diehauser countered. "Besides, when this match is over, he's going to leave."

"Don't know man, Cleria's right on this one." Malacoda folded his arms, watching how Siegfried practiced with one sword, the rest wrapped on his back and waist, one of them being his sword of light. "Exorcists are one of our greatest enemies."

"You're saying it as if I can't defend myself," Diehauser rolled his eyes, imitating his uncle's movements.

"Of course you can—for a damn reason, you're _the_ Champion of the Rating Games." Evil Tail said. "Still, though, he could tell the Church's headquarters about it."

"I doubt he even knows about us." Diehauser waved off their concerns. "I'd made sure to keep our surname hidden from his grasp. Plus, Dan wanted to recruit him for his Peerage."

That's when Danhauser grew into the center of attention, much to his chagrin.

"Are you serious?" Cleria was the first one to articulate her bewilderment. "That was dumb and dangerous, Danny!"

"Ditto."

Danhauser shot a tired glare at the Champion. "Thank you very much."

The Emperor whistled innocently.

Sighing, Danhauser embarked on the tale. "Look, I know it sounds stupid—"

"It does."

"—but, we'd found him unconscious in a tribe along with two dead exorcists." Danhauser exhaled, rubbing his shoulder. "In the end, the Church perchance concluded that they've just lost a powerful piece in their ranks and ended their searching."

"I see. What were you doing in a place like that?" Malacoda questioned, brow raised. "Assuming that a bloody party had occurred there, of course."

Danhauser held a groan. "To keep it blunt, I'd wanted to know about how Contracts worked, and my brother had suggested working with Gilles, and then out of nowhere, chaos had cropped up."

"And then you found the brat?" Malacoda gestured at the focused Exorcist, earning a "yes" from his young nephew. "Welp, shit."

"You weren't hurt, right?" Cleria asked, concerned.

Danhauser shook his head.

"Sis knows about this?" Malacoda jumped to the next question.

Diehauser took the bullet from his brother. "Yes, she'd been informed."

"And nothing happened at all?"

"Well," Diehauser's right eye twitched. "I encountered something interesting. Men usually sort things out quickly. But women prefer to talk about it, then, think about it..." He heaved a sigh. "Then talk about it some _more_ … no offense, Cleria."

Cleria pouted, leaning her hands over her waist. "Believe it or not, we sometimes have good ideas, Diehauser. You should try listening."

"Yeah, but they have so _many_ of them... so sometimes I pretend to pay attention, and..." Seeing their puzzled looks made the Emperor groan. "Ugh, let's just say women have tempers too."

Suddenly, a magic circle appeared, ensnaring everyone's attention.

"Finally," Malacoda snorted, his annoyance quickly curved into happiness when he'd spotted two familiar silhouettes, one of them moving towards the group. "About _damn_ time you showed up, _sis_."

Calcabrina rolled her eyes, standing in front of the group. "To think that I'd finally be safe from your idiocy." She smiled softly. "There's no avoidance from it, or there is?

Malacoda scoffed, pulling his sister into a headlock, rubbing his knuckles rapidly across Calcabrina's scalp. "Like hell, I'd forget my cute little sis and her ugly rats!"

"Get off of me, you moron!" Calcabrina ordered loudly, trying to reach for his brother's tail, but failed. "You're ruining my hair!"

"Bah! Back then, you wouldn't care about your hair getting messed up!"

"The maids worked _so_ hard on making it dazzling!" She elbowed him, earning a soft grunt from the amused Evil Tail.

Danhauser watched the exchange before angling his gaze at Cleria. "Is this normal between them?"

"Yep."

"Looks like they're about to start," Diehauser announced, looking at the main reason they'd come here in the first place.

Everyone quieted down after that.

…

"So here we are," Siegfried hummed, pointing one of his unsheathed swords at Gilles. "I estimate you readied yourself?"

"Of course." Gilles' answer was short, but it was all he needed.

"…" Not uttering a single word, Siegfried unleashed another sword, going for the dual-wielding style.

"I am curious," Gilles admitted, cracking his fingers. "Why three swords?"

The Exorcist smirked. "Maybe you'll find out."

Danhauser knew the answer of that, but preferred to slip his mouth shut—he doesn't want to be found suspicious in the eyes of his family.

Gilles sighed, already getting bored of this. "As you wish, let us begin, then."

Siegfried frowned, eyeing him suspiciously. "… Where's your sword?"

"Hmm? Oh!" The Queen gasped. "My apologies, I was contemplating." He offered a _forced_ smile, extending his arm to the side. "From one to six, choose a number, please."

Siegfried's frown deepened. "I'm sorry, but what're—!"

" _Choose_ a number, _please_."

"Three."

"Ah, a dangerous choice, but I will respect it, now, behold my weapon." Gilles slowly brought a hand to his waist, making the Exorcist take a fighting stance. Taking the sword out from behind, he exhibited it to the world.

"… A table knife?" Cleria trailed off, squinting her eyes.

She'd only spoke the truth, laying on Gilles' hand was a stainless steel dinner knife pointing threateningly at the small frame of the Exorcist.

He's making fun of Siegfried.

"…What's the meaning of this?" Siegfried growled, his body tensed.

Gilles casually shrugged. "What is the dilemma? You had speculated I would take this challenge vigorously?" He didn't wait for a response. "Though you are strong enough to be titled as a powerful Exorcist, the Orthodox Church is known to be as the weakest of all. I had tried to encounter something more suitable for our duel, but this has to do." The worst part is that Diehauser's Queen genuinely seemed apologetic for _not_ having a smaller blade than this.

"Enough with your derides!" Siegfried snapped, clenching his swords in anger. "I'll make sure you regret your mockery!" He yelled, rushing at his opponent.

"In the country of the blind, the one-eyed man is king," Gilles stated the truth, raising his knife.

Siegfried's strongest attack was useless against Gilles' parry.

" _H-He just parried my two swords?! With a knife nonetheless?!"_ The Exorcist tried to push onwards, but he couldn't move at all.

The time around the two swordsmen froze.

Malacoda whistled. "Gilles is going to enjoy breaking him."

"He's quite fast from someone of his age." Calcabrina complimented the teenager before biting her lips. "But not enough."

Danhauser clicked his tongue, the outcome of the battle already written on the scroll.

Siegfried bounced back, taking a steadying breath. _"No one has ever stopped my attacks!"_ He attacked once again, a series of fast swings that went up and down followed by a mixture of sweeping slashes, lighting thrusts, and overhead cuts. Gilles stopped them all. _"Am I getting overcome by a stupid toy? Am I this far away?!"_

Parrying another swing, Gilles easily pushed Siegfried down to the floor. "Is this the strength of someone whose blood comes from the Dragon Slayer? Pathetic."

"Shut up!" Siegfried roared, lurching to his feet and leaping back at Gilles with the same tired, predicables strikes he'd made a few seconds ago. The Exorcist's stoic façade was collapsing in the presence of Gilles' insults, and when he attacked again, it was with a ferocity untempered by discipline and skill. Gilles stepped aside, dodging a perilous stab that could harm his lung.

Once again, Siegfried found himself cornered when Gilles blocked the two swords at the same time, pinning him.

"Is that all you have?" Gilles taunted, slowly pushing him down.

To his surprise, Siegfried grinned, his eyes cast downwards.

Then, he received an answer.

A silver dragon arm manifested on Siegfried's back, carrying the third sword that the Exorcist saved for this moment. It lunged forward, aiming towards Gilles' neck, unfortunately—for Siegfried—the Frenchman instinctively ducked the dicey beheading thrust and moved away.

"A Sacred Gear," Diehauser confirmed everyone's curiosity. "What a twist of events."

"Well, well. Color me impressed." Malacoda hummed, using his barbed tail to scratch his chin, eyes concentrated on the third arm. "Who'd thought that the kid had a card under his sleeve?"

"Which one, though?" Cleria asked, her eyes not leaving the brawl. "Never heard of one that offers you an extra hand."

"It's shape is similar to a dragon's arm." Calcabrina chimed in, biting her thumb. "Could it be… Boosted Gear?"

"The one where the infamous Welsh Dragon Ddraig resides?" Seeing her nod, Malacoda shook his head. "Nah. Boosted Gear is red in color; it also has a green jewel."

"My guess would be a Twice Critical." Diehauser shrugged his shoulders. "Is the only Sacred Gear that is a gauntlet and not a Longinus Tier."

"Here's the catch. It's _not_ a gauntlet _."_ His uncle reminded him. "It's an artificial limb attached to the brat's spine."

" _It's a sub-species."_ Danhauser mentally answered, letting the older people solve the case. If his memory isn't fuzzy, sub-species is a rare case among Sacred Gears that could also affect the Longinus as demonstrated with a well-known female Dhampir of the Tepes Clan. Danhauser always compared it to a shiny Pokemon, rare as hell and only sheer luck can help you obtain one.

Even with the advantage of an uncommon Sacred Gear, Siegfried couldn't match with the strength of the infamous Bluebeard of France.

Siegfried took this opportunity by dashing towards the still puzzled Frenchman. The Queen narrowly dodged the attacks and spun the knife under the child's weapon and rolled his wrist. The Exorcist's sword slid from his hand and flipped through the air.

"Had enough yet?" Gilles yawned, spinning Siegfried's blade in a beautiful series of professional fencer's blows. "Or you want me to substitute the knife with a pair of chopsticks?"

Siegfried grounded his teeth and rushed at him. Gilles cackled at his stupidity. He threw the sword from the bridge and weaseled a streak of scorching fast thrusts. He evaded a sweeping slash and caught a booming Twice Critical across in his open palm. He gestured to the river.

"Time for a bath," He said, and twirled the Sacred Gear's wrist, picking up the exhausted Exorcist from his feet and tossing him over the bridge's parapet. Siegfried splashed down into the cold water, and Gilles sighed with relief, glad that this childish playtime had reached its deadline.

"Well, it's over," Diehauser announced. "I'll be honest, I've seen the ending coming from miles away."

"Same here," Malacoda grunted, eyeing Gilles who's walking back to the manor with elegance, humming a song.

Before anyone else could speak deeper about the subject in hand, something broke from the river's surface—it was Siegfried.

A _pissed_ Siegfried.

"GET BACK HERE YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" Siegfried coughed loudly, all his hair and attire soaked, shakily getting out from the river. It wasn't a fight at all—he just turned into a _joke_ for this House of Devils. He felt insulted by Gilles' not taking the match and his efforts seriously. "This… wasn't a fight at all, you bastard!"

"Wow, language," Danhauser muttered, they ignored him.

Gilles spun around, smiling. "I am afraid I have to decline that offer, little pig." He pointed a thumb where the castle is. "You see, I have to find a suitable spot for my _new_ demonic weapon. Should I hang it on the wall or place it where the rest of my collection is?"

" _So he has the rest of the demonic swords? That'd explain why Siegfried hasn't used one of those, yet."_ Danhauser hummed.

"…" No words came from the drenched teenager, he just fell to his knees and commenced slamming a fist to the grass. He'd been defeated _and_ humiliated.

" _Damn it all…! Damn it! Damn it fucking all!"_ He could hear footsteps approaching his powerless form. _"I fought with all my arsenal! I can't be this away from being the strongest exorcist! Can't I…?"_

"I think we have dry clothes somewhere." Diehauser started, not expecting a response, he carried on. "I'll instruct the maids to save some food and water in a bag for you, and then I'll teleport you back to the human world. You'll be on your own. Good luck." The Emperor walked away, followed by his cousin, waving at her family.

Calcabrina imitated their actions, glancing at her son and brother. "Sweetie is something wrong?"

"I'd like to ask my uncle a favor." Danhauser blurted out, drawing curious looks from the two brothers. He turned to Malacoda. "I want to wield a spear and use the Malebranche's Housecarl trait, preferably now."

Malacoda blinked, twice and boomed a laugh. "The kid truly has the blood of a Malebranche in his veins! Fucking love it!" He exclaimed vulgarly, shooting his nephew an approving grin while overlooking his sister's glare. "Deal! Let's go steal a spear and burn those muscles!"

"Wait!" Siegfried called out, startling the three Devils. He took a deep breath, shakily standing up, drops of water falling from his hair and attire. He faced Danhauser with a serious expression. "I have a proposition I wish you could listen, if you have a moment, of course."

"…" Danhauser glanced at his uncle who shrugged, then at his mother, receiving a similar gesture. He knew what's going to happen, but the question is, why? "What is it?"

Siegfried stood straight, ignoring the cold wind caressing his wet clothes. "The way I see it, our fates appear to be tangled together. In a world replete with cunning creatures, could that be mere chance?"

Danhauser curled an eyebrow, folding his arms. "In a nutshell, you want to _become_ my servant now?"

Siegfried hesitated, disliking the word 'servant,' but regardless of it, he nodded. "…Exactly. So what do you say, hmm? Why not help one another in this forsaken and daunting future that awaits us ahead?"

"Why? Hadn't you declined my offer yesterday? What made you change your mind?" Danhauser questioned, not buying it. "And you don't sound pleased about it, either."

Siegfried bit his lip. "Don't take displeasure at the tone of my voice; it's just… 'servant' is a word that leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

"It's the sad truth, though," Danhauser replied firmly. "You want to join me because of what Gilles had done with you, right?"

" _So that's his name."_ The Exorcists mentally growled. Belial was right; he wanted to prove Diehauser's Queen that he's not a waste of oxygen. "Yes, you caught me red handed. That's the sole reason of why I want to make an alliance with you."

He'd learned something during that fight. He'd thought that he was strong—but in reality, he's just a big fish in a small pond. Back then, he wanted to beat the famous Vasco Strada of the Vatican, and reap the epithet of "The Strongest Exorcist."

But just by this fight alone. Siegfried's dreams were laughed and thrown away, like a bag of empty chips. Even then, he didn't let that discourage him from moving onwards.

In fact, Siegfried found another dream.

And the one who's going to show him that road is standing right in front of him, frowning at his blunt frankness.

"I see," Danhauser muttered, not looking away from Siegfried's red eyes.

"But," Siegfried quickly spoke. "What I meant before is true. This planet is a place where you can't survive without someone watching your back—teamwork is _key_ to survival. I'd wanted to be known as the strongest Exorcist you know? But that dream of mine had already splintered." He laughed tiredly. "Now, I want to become the most powerful swordsman, _your_ powerful swordsman. If you accept me in your ranks, I'll always stand by your side. Always."

He dropped to one knee, stabbing his sword into the ground. "I'll be your sword in human form. Just unsheathe me and point me at the enemy, Master."

* * *

"Well, good work on recruiting your first servant!" Malacoda clapped. "Never expected it to be a _former_ Exorcist, but hey! Who I am to judge?"

Minutes had passed in the blink of an eye, Malacoda and Danhauser are the only ones standing outside of the castle, the same place where Belial had met Tannin, and his son. They'd just went inside to fetch two spears from Calcabrina's room _and_ show Siegfried's official bedroom.

Gilles was displeased about the news, but held his tongue out, not wishing to start a dispute. Cleria was still unsure about it, but she'll try to move on. Calcabrina and Diehauser welcomed the former Exorcist with arms wide open.

Danhauser was happy. That's all you needed to know.

"Thanks." Danhauser smiled, nodding at the twin spears lying on the floor. "So what's first? My second ability or sparring?"

"Hmm." Malacoda hummed in deep thought, rubbing his nose. "Let's go with my Clan trait. I will only show it to you, and explain how to use it efficiently, since wielding this weapon tends to be a tad complicated."

"Okay." Danhauser accepted, cracking his knuckles.

"Alright!" Evil Tail rubbed his hands enthusiastically. "Unlike your brother, you have in yourself the powers of a Malebranche and a Belial respectively! You already understand how to work with demonic powers?" Seeing his nephew nod, he proceeded. "Great, then let's get to the point. Observe."

Malacoda laid on one knee, brushing a hand over the grass before putting some pressure on the ground, a second passed, then two and followed by three, and suddenly, magic happened.

The rich green grass started to deform at the gentle touch of Malacoda, for a second Danhauser thought that his uncle was withering nature itself, but he was only _molding_ it _completely_.

Satisfied, Malacoda lifted his hand, letting his nephew take a look. He'd only infected a small chunk, nothing serious—Danhauser thought, but how it modified the grass made him scratch his head. It was a small pool of a pitch-black substance of sorts; he slowly moved a finger to poke the material.

"It's… Viscous." Danhauser murmured, the sensation was like piercing through a vanilla flan. He tried to pull his finger back; he struggled a little at first, but with more effort, he succeeded, taking along the way a trail of the black fluid. "It's elastic and warm, too."

"Ta-da!" Malacoda exclaimed, puffing his chest proudly. "So? Awesome, isn't it?"

"Not really," Danhauser answered, seeing how the resin was flowing to the ground, but extremely _slowly_. "I presume that you can make small puddles of this liquid on the ground to ensnare foes and break their balance, half of the creatures we know can fly and easily avoid this."

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth," Malacoda scolded, chuckling at his musing. "It seems that you're thinking small, alright then! I'll show you the _true_ potential!"

"What're you—" Danhauser felt the ground swallowed half of his body, startling him. He couldn't move his legs, like if he just accidentally stepped into quicksand. It was warm but scary.

"Look around." He heard the voice of his uncle, obeying, he spotted the small black puddle turn into a _fucking_ lake! All the trees in the zone are _slowly_ sinking like destroyed ships during a war, and all because of the pitch-resin doing its work.

"Okay, that's great," Danhauser grunted, trying to pull his leg out, the suction preventing him from being able to pull it out and at the same time the other leg went down deeper. "Can you take me out, I'm starting to freak out over here!"

Malacoda only snickered, resting atop of a drowning tree. Snapping his fingers, he summoned tentacles made of the same properties as the lake, all of them sliding for Danhauser.

" _Oh no."_ Danhauser watched how they wrapped around his torso, slowly pulling him out. _"My uncle is tying me up with his tentacles; we just need elves and orcs to start the perfect doujinshi."_

Finding a new spot in a branch of a random tree, Danhauser nodded his thanks to his uncle, who, in return snapped once again his fingers, the ground solidified forthwith.

"See? You just need to think outside of the box!" Malacoda raised his arms up to the air. "You cannot only booby trap your enemies in pools of pitch resin! You can also _create_ things from them! Such as wolves, birds, _dragons_ and if you're in kinky stuff, tentacles!"

"Sorry, but what was the last part?" Of course, he knew what he'd just said.

"Now let's start learning on how to use a spear accurately!" Malacoda jumped to the next subject, _apparently_ missing out Danhauser's question. "Get down here!"

He now appreciated his other Clan Trait. It's around a mix of changing things from solid to a sticky liquid, and an interesting way of molding figures to aid him during a troublesome moment. He knows that he cannot turn a good lump of ground into the pitch-black substance, perhaps just a little, or not make the same creatures such as Malacoda put on sale, but with enough practice, he could do it, or better.

" _If I master it, could I combine it with Worthlessness?"_ By making the tentacles that his Uncle had summoned earlier _plus_ enhanced with his nullifying abilities then there's not a necessity of running blindly towards the foe, as long as Danhauser can keep the enemy distracted, then an appendage of resin can lunge to his blind spot.

Funnily, the arts of making limbs with this element is not necessarily relevant; he could make an eastern dragon added with Belial traits _IF_ and only _IF_ , he learned how to command it properly. But perhaps, the bigger the creation, the expensive it'd be, and adding worthlessness as a bonus? He's going to exhaust to death. For now, baby steps.

Smiling, Danhauser jumped down, mentally thanking whoever upgraded his exoskeleton enough to survive a fall such as this one. Seeing that only a spear remained on the livid grass, he took it, facing his trainer. "So what's first?"

The grin hasn't wiped away from Malacoda's face, winking he started. "Okay, first of all, we're going to work on your stance, before you go chasing at the unlucky bastard like a pissed dragon." He whistled at him, resting his spear around his shoulders. "Alright, impress me!"

"…" Danhauser glanced down at his weapon and looked back at his trainer before humming and obeying his uncle's words.

Danhauser carefully mo—

"Alright stop." Malacoda raised a hand. "You already had made your first mistake."

"What? I haven't moved at all." Danhauser stated.

"Exactly. You _haven't moved._ " He signaled at their closeness. "Long arms beat short arms, all else being equal. That means if both combatants are equally skilled, and the combat ground suits all weapons, the one with the long arm beats the one with the short arm. Spear beats sword. Abuse your distance; you're far too close to my body."

"Ah, sorry forgot about that one." Danhauser sheepishly shuffled away from his uncle, keeping a decent distance for the upcoming sparring.

"Good. Now," Malacoda drawled. "Before we jump into the action, we're going to tweak your footwork. In all types of martial arts, if your feets aren't in an adequate position, your speed could be decreased, easy to push around and find it difficult to attack." He took a deep breath, nodding at his nephew. "Stand perpendicular to your dear uncle, with your feet shoulder width apart."

"…" Danhauser slowly nodded and obeyed by moving at the right angle Malacoda told him to do so, followed by his feet moving to the right destination. "Like this?"

"Yes." Malacoda hummed. "Turn your body now." Seeing Danhauser moved his body made him frown. "Stop, repeat it once again without moving your hips." Evil Tail grinned at the sight. "Great! Your leading foot should be closer to your opponent."

"What's next?" Danhauser asked, frozen in place.

"Now, bend your knees to lower the middle of your gravity. It will make the opponent struggle in pushing you around." Malacoda pursed his lips, seeing how _slowly_ Danhauser was lowering himself. "There! That's the spot, now, without breaking your stance, move all your weight to the balls of your feet. The added focus will keep your mind sharp, and the change in weight allocation will let you move quicker." He used his tail to grab the remaining spear around his shoulders. _"_ Now that you have pictured that stance on the back of your head, now concentrate on the spear in your hands. You want your weapon to protect your whole body, show me how you would do it."

Danhauser frowned, slowly looking at the spear laying his hands, glancing back at his Uncle to see any hints on the way he wields the weapon around, seeing none, he sighed. "Alright, I'll do my best." With his backhand, it left an inch of pole sticking out behind his hand, just in case his uncle tried to yank it away during the sparring. He hesitantly moved his lead hand a shoulder with apart from the backhand. Lastly, he pointed the tip at Malacoda's stomach. "…I did it wrong, right?"

"Honestly, you were doing it perfectly, but you ruined it in the last part." Malacoda somewhat praised him. "When you're in combat, do not aim to the stomach, always, _ALWAYS!_ Point to where the rear shoulder is. If you do it, the spear would be angled in three ways—onward, toward the opponent in a threatening manner. From their shoulder to your waist, protecting you from shoulder to waist. From your rear hand to their back shoulder, protecting you from one side to the other, capisce?"

Nodding, he shifted the pole just as his trainer ordered him to do so. "Yeah, capisco."

Chuckling, Malacoda spun his spear professionally, taking a pose that it was similar to a famous blue-haired Spearman from the Nasuverse. "Good thing these wooden spears aren't sharp at all! Now listen, for now, attack randomly, I want to see what are the essential things we need to concentrate on the next training."

Danhauser wanted to question his posture, but being aware of Malacoda's dexterity on the weapon, he held his tongue. He sighed and took a deep breath. "Alright, bring it on."

Malacoda grinned almost sadistically and lunged at his nephew. The night is still young and time enough for a few bruises ruin his grey-white skin and attire. He just wished that he could at least survive long enough to learn a few tricks from Evil Tail.

* * *

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Calcabrina lowered herself at her son's height, spinning him around to see how many wounds he'd earned.

"You know, now that you ask, my knee is a little sore, could you perhaps check it out? I think an arrow took my knee."

"I was speaking to my son, imbecile."

Malacoda did his best to stifled back his chuckle at the warning glare of his younger sister. "He's okay. I'm kind of surprised that he could stand up even after I beat him into a pulp, your son surely has good endurance." He praised, staring at Danhauser for a while before slipping him a wink. "If you keep enhancing your endurance, in no time, you'll turn into a fitness machine in bed!"

"Malacoda… you're standing on thin ice now." Lady Belial warned him. "Keep talking about profanities around my son, and I'll make sure to impale your tail where the sun doesn't shine."

Danhauser flinched, seeing how his uncle's barbed tail froze into a halt, jittering at the obscene thought.

"I'm alright mom," Danhauser finally answered, taking Calcabrina's eyes off from Malacoda's body. "Just a few bruises, nothing too serious."

Her gaze once again softened. "If you say so." She stood up, ruffling her son's gray hair lovingly while facing Malacoda. "Everyone's in the main room; we should get moving."

They walked together, Calcabrina and Malacoda having little chats about their past and other stuff, sometimes Evil Tail would throw a tease in the conversation, securing a hard look from Lady Belial, much to his uncle's amusement.

"Finally, you three are here." Diehauser greeted them, glancing down at his brother. "Seeing those bruises I'll assume that the training was troublesome?"

Looking at the occupants around the room, he spotted his whole family, including Gilles and surprisingly Siegfried. He shook his head, answering. "Yes, it was."

"Let's make this quick, then!" Cleria cheered, clapping. "Danny, summon your Evil Pieces!"

Danhauser lifted an eyebrow at the order, also getting used at the feminine nickname. "Why?"

"Remember why I'd told you not to open up your chess pieces?"

Letting the Emperor's words sink in his mind, his eyes widened slightly. Nodding, he summoned his Evil Pieces, still locked in its elegant box. He carefully placed it in the middle of the gray table, where everyone began surrounding the Chess Pieces.

"So inside of this container lies the well-known Evil Pieces I've heard of?" Siegfried muttered to himself, looking at the object that would change his life forever.

"Who's going first?" Diehauser asked, looking at the guests scattered in the room. "Gilles?"

The Butler blinked before sighing. "As you wish." He moved his hand inside his pocket, grunting. After a while, he tossed something shiny on the table. "My bet is a Mutated Knight."

" _Wait, what?"_ Danhauser frowned, staring the valuable coins that Gilles left on the table. "Is this the supposed, O legendary tradition of the House of Belial?"

His question had received an answer when Cleria added her part on the gamble. "Three Mutated Pawns!"

"Well, those are a lot of pawns," Danhauser muttered, sticking to watch in silence.

Siegfried only nodded in agreement, standing beside his new master.

Malacoda hurled a small purse of money. "I'm going big here! _Mutated_ Queen!"

Honestly, young Belial was filling slightly jealous and pissed. In his previous, he wasn't living in a family where everyone could shit money. They weren't poor either, but having a slightly higher of wealth wouldn't hurt anyone. Maybe it's just his greedy side flaring up at the disturbing sight.

But hey, they're Devils, what he sees wrong, they see it as something normal.

Calcabrina slid her share for the charity. "Bishop."

"Likewise," Diehauser parroted his mother. "Bishop. Dan, open up the small box."

Danhauser merely shrugged and took hold of his precious Evil Pieces, slowly opening the container.

"… Gilles won." Danhauser mentally cheered of having a _mutated_ Evil Piece in his arsenal.

Everyone groaned except Gilles who only cackled silently.

"My, my. Who would have thought? First a beautiful sword and now the salary of two gentlemen and two beautiful ladies." Gilles giggled as he pushed the treasure closer to his figure. "Oh dear, today is not even my birthday."

"Great! All my dreams completely gone!" Malacoda cheered.

"I don't get it, why you guys are getting depressed about this?" Danhauser couldn't help but ask. "Each one of you has more money in those pockets, right?"

"… What you say it's true." Cleria admitted, chuckling awkwardly. "But winning a game of chance against the family is always exciting and _way_ more satisfying taking their belongings than obtaining them from work, plus it's fun."

The rest nodded their heads, mutually asserting at her choice of words. Finally, the small group began dispersing with Gilles being the first one to offer his farewell and a small glare for Siegfried with the latter returning the gesture.

" _Enjoy Gram while it lasts, sooner or later, I'll reclaim what's mine back,"_ Siegfried vowed, watching the departing figure of the Frenchman.

"Don't stay up too late," Calcabrina warned her youngest son, kissing the top of his head. "Remember that you have school tomorrow."

"Ah, speaking of school," Diehauser turned around while nodding at Cleria good night. "You'll be seeing something… interesting in your academy."

Danhauser and Calcabrina curled their eyebrows, the two completely lost on the subject. "What do you mean?"

Diehauser pocketed his hands, shrugging. "Something that the House of Bael had demanded, and I'd accepted it."

Danhauser frowned, Sairaorg's Clan are the Great Kings of the Underworld, perhaps they'd requested some that could benefit the Realm of the Devils and Fallen Angels? He'd wanted to think it was only a selfish claim, but seeing how Diehauser was calm and how _he'd_ accepted it without being forced, then maybe it would be for the sake of their entire race.

"Goodnight," Diehauser yawned, climbing the stairs, followed by his mother.

...

"Well, let's do this, then." Danhauser took a knight piece, scrutinizing it, it was just as the same color of his hair. "Are you ready to leave your life as an exorcist and turn into my servant?"

Siegfried stood straight and clenched his fists, eyeing the Knight Piece in his hand. "Yes, I am, master."

Danhauser smiled at his soldier-like attitude and moved the Chess Piece closer to his chest. "My name is Danhauser Belial—call me Dan." His smile widened slightly. "Welcome to the family, Sieg."

* * *

 **-Guest Review-**

 **Lurker: Ja!** **Esto te lo digo ya, van a haber docenas de fectos de mariposas durante el transcurso del fanfic, unos que hasta pueden cambiar el rumbo de DxD, y no no tengo miedo de enfrentarme tal fenómeno y este fanfic vivirá hasta que llege al final.**

 **Entiendo que odies esas cosas de traición de Rias o convertirla en un personaje OOC, yo también detesto ese genero, son muy usadas y ya tienden a ser aburridas. Gracias por la review! Saludos!**

* * *

 **There we go. Sorry if the fight between Siegfried and Gilles de Rais was not satisfying, I suck writing fighting scenes, but I'll do my best! Since we are talking about DxD and it's one of the main things around the Anime, the other being boobs.**

 **I want to say address something quick. Trust me on this one, guys. Danhauser's Peerage is going to be Amazing.**

 **Now the essential thing about this chapter. Malacoda Malebranche, or more specific, the House of Malebranche.**

 **They're like Mephistopheles, the one who appeared in the German legend and novel of John Faust. But unlike him, these guys appeared in the Italian literature: Divine Comedy and met with the two poets, Dante and Vergil. Their House Trait also comes from the very same poem; their duty was to throw the corrupt politicians under the surface of a boiling lake made of Pitch—resin—sometimes is called as a lake of tar or both. I just imagined this similar to the Sitri's trait.**

 **And no. The whole family is not going to appear for a** _ **LONG TIME**_ **. So we'll only see Calcabrina's and Malacoda's points of view.**

 **Nothing else to add here, other than I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Cheers!**

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 **Next Chapter: An Orphan Dog  
**


	8. An Orphan Dog

**Chapter 8: An Orphan Dog.**

* * *

"M-my name is Ravel Phenex. I'm under your care!" The blonde girl bowed her head in respect.

" _Okay, what the hell just happened?"_ Danhauser hasn't looked away from the blonde girl after the moment he walked outside of his classroom. He tried to form theories of why a young lady like Ravel is standing in his way when her time of recess hasn't begun yet.

Then it hit him. The small hint of Diehauser had given him since yesterday, just when he'd officially Knighted Siegfried. Defiantly, the Emperor had talked briefly about this topic, something unusual is going to bloom on his school, and now, here it is, a cute girl with manners waiting for his presence. He wasn't the only one facing this anomaly. All those from his class are facing the same routine, yes, including the ever so grumpy Sairaorg Bael in the flesh.

Danhauser knew why this affair is happening. If Lord Belial was speaking the truth, then this is Bael's handiwork. Purpose? It was evident for those whose mental age is similar to an adult; thankfully, Danhauser's brain is the one of an adult.

It's following the same steps as the party where he'd participated with his mother, where the Lords and Ladies of their corresponding Clans were immediately offering their offsprings' hands to a different House to increase their population. An admirable feat if you don't dig deeper into the subject. Danhauser doubted they were just trying to save their race from extinction. There must be something else inside their wrongdoing minds. It can be a lot of things, from increasing their territory, earning a name around the Underworld, great grandsons, and so on. All in all, the Elder Devils are so _damn_ stubborn.

" _It seems that welcome party was, without a doubt, a step closer to arrange the marriage rite."_ He was surprised when Diehauser granted permission about this subject; he knew he wouldn't follow the Old Devil's perspectives, far from it. Maybe he just got stuck on the part of "saving our race from annihilation." Does that mean that he's officially hooked with Ravel? Or they're going to eventually throw him another girl around or young of his age? Or maybe they're testing new things, and if it works then, they'd add it as another feature for Hell. The outcome is so obvious anyway, so what gives?

What made him hesitant about it is that he's a grown man trapped in the body of a child, marrying someone around Ravel's age is eccentric. But this is the Underworld, the dark side of the earth, where the fucked up things pretty much is a Tuesday for any Devil.

Danhauser sighed and shook his head, once again gazing at the cute young girl who may be four years younger than him. Ravel's face is still hanging low, and she was getting fatigued for keeping her balance in check.

"You don't have to do that," Danhauser stated, gesturing at her tiring stance. "We're classmates; you don't have to treat me as if I was your King."

Ravel broke the bow, looking at Danhauser's gray eyes with her dark blue ones while fidgeting. "That's not true. Y-You're two grades above me. You're my mentor. I don't want to give a wrong impression…!"

" _Dear Maou she's adorable."_ Danhauser kept his smile in check at the girl's determination and shyness, every time she stuttered her replies was a sight to behold. It could also be that the Phenex girl is one of his favorite characters in the Light Novels and Anime.

"You know my name right?" Danhauser asked, curving an eyebrow. "Or should I introduce myself?"

Ravel stared down at her tiny hands as if she was expecting an answer, then glanced back at her mentor. "My teacher told me your name. Your name is Danha…umm." She pouted, tilting her head to the side, trying her hardest to remember her mentor's name. "Danhuazer Belial?"

Danhauser laughed softly. "Close enough. It's "Danhauser," but since you're struggling, you can call me 'Dan.'"

Danhauser could feel her timid aura flowing around; which made him wary, in the Novels she's known as someone who can stand her ground when it involves socializing. Here, is the other way around, at first he thought that she has a crush on him, making him scoff at the mere thought and jump to the next conclusion. Maybe she's scared? Knowing that she's talking with the member of a House that raised the Emperor of the Rating Games proudly?

Seeing her wince and nod shyly while uttering an "I'm sorry," made Danhauser blurted out quietly. "Why're you so tense? I don't bite, you know."

"This is my first time talking to a boy, who is not my older brother…" Ravel trailed off, kicking the ground awkwardly.

"I see." Danhauser nodded in acceptance, suddenly rubbing his neck. "If it makes you feel better, you're the first girl I've talked with, who is neither my mother or cousin."

"Ah." She offered a small smile.

And that's it; silence suddenly clamped into the conversation. The two flushed, embarrassed, and looked away. A good way to make their first impression.

"Hey, uh." Danhauser started, drawing her attention. "Do you mind if we find a place to rest? I don't want to spend my time standing around."

The blonde shook her head. "I don't mind, I'll follow you."

Danhauser held back a sigh and started moving, the Phenex girl following from behind, the sound of quietness shattered by the screams of happiness coming from the children playing around. He loves silence but hates it when people are accompanying him, always afraid that he may bore them to death is something that left Belial heartbroken, so, he was thankful that the teenagers filled the atmosphere with their joyful screams.

He wished Bova was here to keep him company; the dragon doesn't mind his quiet nature.

"So, by any chance, do you know what your teachers are planning?" Danhauser asked, taking a seat beneath the tree. He was aware that the reason of why, but what he wanted to know is the excuse they'd used for Ravel's generation.

Ravel carefully took a seat next to him while trying to find a good reply for his answer, in the end, she shook her head, hugging her knees. "I don't know… but I'd guess they just want us to meet new people." She looked at her mentor curiously. "Do you know why?"

"No, I don't," Danhauser lied, looking away from her dark blue eyes. "Maybe you're right, perhaps just a unique way to meet new faces and create friendships."

"Maybe," Ravel parroted, resting her chin on her knees. "Umm…" Ravel once again, felt awkwardness when the silence began widening. "In the future are you planning to join the Rating Games?"

Danhauser spared her a glance; he knew why the unexpected question. Since he's a Belial, everyone from children to adults thinks that it's a belief for his House to participate in the Rating Games and have your name written on the Top Ten best rankers and even inherit the title of "Champion."

"I… don't know," Danhauser admitted, breaking the eye contact. "It's a new experience, and it could be fun, but…"

"But?" Ravel recited.

"But…" Danhauser bit his lip; his voice went quiet after that and trembled just a little. Is a blessing being a Belial, yet a curse, they're known for their flawless victories in the Rating Games, to the point that if a Belial plays in one, even if it's its first time competing on one, the seats immediately are going to be occupied by a horde of Devils. The audience expects a great fight and a victory coming for the gray-haired Devils.

If he participated in one, what if he loses? The laughter and verbal harassing spreading around the stadium would make his knees tremble. He doesn't care that much if all those insults took aim at him, but what made him worried is that they'd involve his Clan and future peerage in the mix. To fail in something and affect not only the House of Belial but the Malebranche as well when it's all because of his stupid actions is something that Danhauser couldn't let happen again.

" _I'm scared."_ Danhauser nearly said it but rolled back his tongue just in time. He looked at his junior. Ravel looked nervous and concerned, afraid of having touched a nerve. _"How stupid am I acting right now?"_

"Nevermind that." Danhauser sent her a forced smile, hoping that she'd buy it and calm her down. "Hey, a little bird told me that your eldest brother is in the Top Ten? Or am I wrong?"

Her eyes suddenly gleamed like stars, her attitude, her voice, and even her aura changed into egotistical. "Of _course_ he is! Big Brother Ruval is the greatest of greatest, and no one can say otherwise! _Ever_!"

Belial held back a chuckle at her arrogance. He knew about Ravel's great devotion she has to her oldest brothers and her housecarl; it's something that he liked about her. Even if Riser's an asshole in the Light Novel and Anime, Ravel still loves him dearly; this is something that most Devils needs to learn about how to treat each other.

" _I'm looking at you, Sairaorg's and Magdaran's father,"_ Danhauser's frown quickly turned into a grin. "Really?" he'd only saw her smug face spreading widely, nodding proudly. "Hm. I think my older brother, _Diehauser Belial,_ thinks otherwise."

Her eyes suddenly widened in realization, her facial expression changing along the way. "W-well—!" She stuttered, blushing when she heard snickers coming from her mentor. "S-stop laughing, this isn't funny!"

"Yes, it is!"

"No, it's not!" Ravel pouted, she bolted upright and pointed an accusing finger at Danhauser. "Admit it! Y-You're just scared that _my_ brother can defeat _yours_!"

"You think _your_ brother can beat mine?" Danhauser boomed a fake laugh, similar to that of a cliché villain. "Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes, yes! A thousand times _yes_!" Ravel stomped the floor furiously, gathering a small cloud of dust under her feet, her princess' demeanor gone.

"Okay, I believe you." Danhauser acknowledged her, nodding.

Ravel stopped her actions, blinking. "Really?"

"No."

The look on Ravel's face was priceless in Danhauser's eyes. She also looked none too elated with his teasing methods. "You're not funny."

Danhauser gasped, moving a hand towards his chest. "Don't say that, Ravel. Please forgive me."

Ravel puffed her cheeks and folded her arms; the glare was still there, it's like she's trying to shoot a laser beam to disintegrate her nearest target.

"I was only joking, Ravel," Danhauser assured her, smiling awkwardly, seeing that the young girl hasn't laid down on the grass yet, he added. "Your brother is obviously strong, hence the reason they'd consider him as a Hero around the Underworld. Ruval, of course, deserves a spot on the Top Ten."

It wasn't a lie. Ruval Phenex, to still be a High-Class Devil and make a name for himself _and_ his family? Is a feat that Danhauser is jealous of, he thirsts for that, not because of all the fame he'd hold once he reaches the Top Ten, but for the sake of giving a greater name to his family.

Even if his Uncle and Brother had already come to the pinnacle of fame, he also wants to be on it, even if it's the lowest one, just to prove in his previous and new life, that he, Danhauser Belial, the former human can shine among the other stars. And prove that he's allowed to exist.

"…Hmph!" Ravel made a sound with her mouth closed, voicing her annoyance. Nonetheless, she took her seat once again. "You're lucky I started liking this part of the school!"

And just like that, a friendship bloomed.

* * *

Danhauser had a great time talking with Ravel, even if they were small chit-chats of different subjects, he'd even dare to say that, he'd entertained Ravel good enough. He was somewhat disappointed when recess concluded since the blonde girl is one of his favorites characters in the series, he'd wanted to know her more. Hopefully, this event is going to turn into something normal.

Since school was over, Danhauser wandered around the school's grounds alone to know more the place where he'll get stuck for the meantime; he was also waiting for someone from his family to pick him up. He would walk towards the train station by himself, but mother and older brother immediately neglected the suggestion.

" _Ah, there's Sairaorg."_ Danhauser spotted the familiar figure sitting alone, also waiting for his mother, Misla Bael, to appear from the gates and fetch him back to the countryside of the Bael territory.

Danhauser wavered, insecure of whether to keep him company or take another look at different sections of the school. Sairaorg, however, glanced up and after noticing him, he sighed and kept counting his fingers.

" _I'll take it as "do as you wish.""_ Danhauser heaved a suspire and slouched down beside Bael.

…

"And here I thought that you'd eventually moved on…" Sairaorg started, grunting, recalling their last conversation.

"What makes you think I haven't?"

"You're always sitting on that tree by yourself," Sairaorg answered.

"Well, you're always welcome to keep me company." Danhauser offered, he may sometimes be a hypocrite, but, does he cares? No. Not at all.

Sairaorg only grunted.

…

"So…" Danhauser trailed off, trying to draw a different topic, randomly looking at various directions. "Who was your junior?"

Sparing a side-glance, he went back to his fingers, stretching them. "A blonde girl from the second year, she speaks a lot."

Danhauser smiled lightly. "I have the sneaking suspicion that you didn't like her."

Sairaorg frowned. "… I'd never said that. I just found her annoying, but I guess I'll have to get used to it…"

Danhauser curled an eyebrow, looking at him. "What do you mean?"

Sairaorg returned the stare. "There's the possibility that the school may or may not allow children from different grades share the same recess. I heard it from Magdaran who'd heard it from our father."

"Interesting," Danhauser hummed, glancing back at the horizon. Sairaorg is someone who seems not to hold hatred towards other children, after all, Belial, wasn't kind when he'd criticized him due to his depression. Yes, he'd received a few passing glares here and there, but he didn't saw them as an 'I hate you with my life, kill yourself' stare. He couldn't put the finger on it.

The two suddenly heard an explosion of feminine giggles, looking up they spotted from far away from them a small group of girls. At first, he'd thought that they were laughing at Sairaorg, but then he'd noticed that they weren't paying any mind at Bael and Belial. What made the gray-haired Devil curious is the well-known hair and faces of two specific figures.

"Is that Rias?" Danhauser said aloud, spotting the red-haired figure, talking with a girl with ebony hair styled in a short bob cut and clean glasses. _"And that's Sona, I presume. They look a year younger than Sairaorg and me. They slightly resemble like their future selfs."_ The same sentiment goes for Sairaorg. He would say the same thing for his new body, but knowing that he didn't hear of any "Danhauser" in canon, he couldn't make an opinion of his appearance. He looked similar to a young Diehauser, yet, he looked older for the body of a thirteen years old teenager.

Sairaorg growled. "Yes, she is." His glare darted away from his cousin. "Also known as the _most_ popular girl in the school…" He scoffed, somewhat disgusted. "Give me a break…"

Danhauser raised a brow at his tone of voice. "You… you don't sound happy for her."

"It's because I don't like her."

Danhauser's eyes widened slightly at the revelation, "Okay…" Clearing his throat to hide his shock; he hesitated to ask. "May… I know why?"

Sairaorg scowled at him, making Danhauser mentally wince at his reaction. He couldn't help it. He remembers reading how they were close as family; even Bael was there for her when Issei died by Samael's venom. He wanted to know _why_ he's sending vibes of grudges towards Rias.

He has an idea, but he doesn't want to roll with the theories, yet.

Thankfully, Sairaorg aimed back his sharp gaze at Gremory. "… I'll assume you know how I lack Bael's Power of Destruction and demonic power?" He started dryly, earning a nod from Danhauser. He now understood the problem. "Well, _she_ and her brother received it."

" _He's jealous."_ Danhauser mused. "Let me guess; you think it's not fair that a Gremory acquired the Power of Destruction and you, a Bael, has earned nothing?"

Sairaorg gritted his teeth, nodding firmly. "Exactly, but that's not the only thing that makes my blood boil… it's just…!" He pulled his hair slightly. "I'd visited her mansion once just because my mother wanted to bother her family-in-law. When I'd met her and her two Peerage members, I'd never seen her use her power, at all, plus her demonic power _wasn't_ amazing neither!"

"She doesn't practice with it?" Danhauser speculated, earning another nod from the frustrated child.

"It's like she was spitting me right in the face!" Sairaog exclaimed, somewhat loudly for Belial's approvance. "If I were in her place, I would try to understand such power and fiddle with it!" He looked at Danhauser dead in the eye. "Please tell me you know what I'm saying."

Danhauser took a deep breath. "I can see where you're going." He started, seeing how Bael hasn't looked away from him, waiting for his opinion. "You, someone who lacks Power of Destruction and finds out that someone who is not from the Bael Clan has the blessing, but doesn't train with it makes you angry." He paused. "But you know what else I think? I think you'd do the same thing in her shoes if you had a taste of Bael's Clan trait."

The black-haired child gasped, followed by a threatening growl. "No, _I_ wouldn't!"

"Yes, _you_ would, Sairaorg." Danhauser shot back. "I admit it; perhaps you'd use it a few times, but train with it to master it as Maou Lucifer himself? I doubt it. The reason why you'd think like this is that society's remarks altered you, their laughter; their mockery, they changed your mind completely." He signalized at the distanced Rias. "She's _two_ years younger than us; she's still an innocent flower and hasn't seen the real face of this world like us. A child who has never experienced acceptance and a child who never has experienced rejection have different mindsets in life."

Energy. Power. The Devils are addicted to it. Their lust was enough to eradicate half of the Pillars of this world. They haven't learned their lessons it seems. A good example is Ravel's brother, Riser Phenex, the birth of his arrogance came from his meta-like regenerative abilities, that's when the seeds began to grow immediately. Bael Clan has already pierced the skies with their blustery; they have royalist blood _and_ power that can annihilate anything from their sights.

Sairaorg's painful childhood caused by his father and the whole Underworld led him to learn and understand compassion, something that the Bael Clan and most of the Devils do not have. The purest sign of this trait especially goes for his mother, Misla Bael, the woman who took all the bullets she could for his defected child and the one that who would always advise him to keep his chin high. Sairaorg's kindness also extends to his younger half-brother, Magdaran Bael, even if the latter also treats him like trash.

In truth, Sairaorg's younger brother is neutral with his older brother. He's just scared of getting on the wrong side of his father; he thirsts for his father's approvance, and he's going to do anything to earn it, to the point of breaking Sairaorg's mentality with old and used insults.

Sairaorg clenched his fists and suddenly, laughed bitterly, slowly standing up. "I don't even know why I'd told you this, foolish from my part." He rubbed the bridge of his nose, the sour snickers still souring his mouth. "It seems that whenever I express myself is just wrong and stupid for the Underworld, fine then! Turn me into your damn villain! As if I care!" He shot a glare at his listener. "Listen, I'll get stronger, no matter what! With or without Power of Destruction!"

" _You like to draw yourself as the victim, don't you?"_ Danhauser thought, he understood why and he doesn't hold any sorts of grudges because of it."Why do you want to get stronger?"

Sairaorg blinked at the question. "What do you mean?"

"Why do you want to get stronger? Is there a reason behind it?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Sairaorg frowned, seeing Danhauser slowly stand up from his seat and dust himself up. "Those who laughed at me, those who treated me like crap, I'll teach them a _good_ lesson."

"What else?"

Sairaorg pursed his lips, and with resistance, he mumbled. "That… that's it."

Danhauser hummed, scanning his classmate from head to toes which made Sairaorg unnoticeable tense. Finally, he spoke. "You know, I still remember our previous conversation. Hadn't you said that you don't want to fall on their level?" He knows that sooner or later, Sairaorg is going to use his fists when the times comes, after all, he's going to challenge Magdaran Bael for the rank of Heir of Bael, thus taking a step closer to his ultimate goal, become a Satan. He wants to do something significant... That would definitely carry on into the future.

"…"

"I think you're lying." Danhauser drawled, carefully choosing the right words to keep composed the next Lion King. He believes that right now, he's stronger than Bael and all thanks to his harsh training, in case if a brawl submerges, he's going to win. "You're a real person; you wouldn't go out there to get revenge for those that mistreated you."

…

Sairaorg snorted from his nose and once again, slumped down. "Lying doesn't suit me, right?" He laughed tiredly, rubbing his forehead.

"Not really." Danhauser agreed, also dropping to the floor. They sat in silence for a while. "So what's up?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Teenagers around our age, especially Devils, wouldn't think about exercising at all," Danhauser said, stretching his arms. "What's the reason? Or is the same thing we'd discussed a month ago? Because I never thought you'd take my words seriously."

"What's yours?" Sairaorg shot back.

" _So it's a different purpose, huh."_ Danhauser thought, lowering his limbs. "How can you tell I'm training?"

Sairaorg scoffed lightly, arms folded. "I can say that your demonic powers increased slightly."

"Ah, I see." Danhauser bobbed his head, clearing his throat, he continued. "Alright then, go ahead."

Sairaorg frowned. "I…I don't think I'm following…"

"Take a guess why I'm also training."

Sairaorg's frown deepened. "That's it? We're just playing a game of guessing?" Witnessing Belial's nod, he grunted. "Easy. You're a Belial; you want to be the next Champion of Rating Games. You want to take your brother's throne. Or am I wrong?"

Danhauser looked up to the fake sky and glanced back at Sairaorg. "I admit, the thought of becoming a Champion had crossed my mind for a while now." He agreed, chuckling. "But that's not the reason for it. In truth, I want to survive."

"Survive?" He parroted. "Survive what? Underworld's society?"

"Survive the future." Noticing Sairaorg's perplexed expression, he continued. "There is no tomorrow. At least not one that is guaranteed. As we grow, we learn to fear the unknown. That alone should scare you."

He knows the future events, yet he doesn't, it already changed the moment he'd awakened from his coffin, it also adjusted the moment Danhauser had recruited Siegfried, he doesn't know if altering the timeline was the right thing or, the bad one and that alone made him worried. Because even if Danhauser doesn't want to shit on Canon's script, he's going to do it, unintentionally or intentionally, regardless of what he says. That's his curse.

"I…I see your point." Sairaorg looked down at his shoes. "It's also ambiguous and comes with inherent risk."

"Yeah…" Danhauser trailed off, coughing on his fist. "Anyways, it's my turn." He maneuvered his eyes in different directions, hoping to find the right answer written before him while unwittingly spotting Rias' small group is shifting to a different location. "I…think that you just want to make your mother happier, and make everyone eat their own words." He directed his gaze back at the defected boy. "Am I right or am I right?"

Bael heaved a sigh. "Correct."

.

.

.

Suddenly, Sairaorg chuckled. "I-I like this." He shakily smiled. "Talking with someone casually when it doesn't involve insults towards my infamous flaw feels so… nice." This feeling's weird for him but in a right way. His muscles relaxing during the flow of their conversation, he seemed like time stopped around them, granting them free time to talk about stupid things, without worrying what their surroundings thought of them negatively.

"I know right?" Danhauser nodded, looking around, it seems that their respective parents are taking their damn time to pick them up. "I'm someone who doesn't like socializing with people… but lo and behold, I'm speaking with you."

"Yeah…" Suddenly, Bael felt a wave of regret, now and then stealing a few glances to the person beside him, he gulped. "I-I'm sorry." He murmured, looking down at his feet guiltily. "For the first time, we talked… I'd treated you poorly and compared you to the rest of the bad Devils when you'd just wanted to speak with me, and for that, I apologize, sincerely."

"… A Great King shouldn't beg for the King's forgiveness." Danhauser sighed, shrugging. "All good, though. I'd never held ill will toward your presence. I understand why you were hostile to me back then." He paused, humming. "In fact, I should be the one atoning for my actions."

The black-haired Devil smiled weakly. "You're forgiven."

.

.

.

"So…" Danhauser trailed off, scratching the back of his ear, just like the start of the conversation, the atmosphere morphed into one of discomfort, they're already out of interesting topics to communicate with one another.

"Tomorrow under the tree?" Sairaorg suggested, shuddering at the lack of response from the gray-haired devil. "W-well, if you want… I-I will not force you."

Belial blinked at the proposal, slowly breaking into a smile. It seems that he succeeded in shattering Bael's shell, even if it was just for a little. "Sounds good."

The look of happiness he's wearing was somewhat heartbreaking. Sairaorg jumped from his seat, grinning goofily. "G-Great!" He brought a hand up, prepared for a handshake. "I-I never heard your name, so I'll introduce myself first, even if you already know me." He took a deep breath. "My name is Sairaorg Bael, a pleasure meeting you…?"

He was surprised, how quickly he opened up. He thought that it'd take a lot of time to bring the smallest crack on Sairaorg's shell, but with this scene alone, proved that Bael was yearning someone to speak with, someone that wouldn't push him around just because he's negatively different from others. Someone that he could call for the first time in his life a "friend."

Danhauser smiled and accepted the handshake firmly. "Danhauser. Danhauser Belial. A pleasure meeting you, _Strongest Youth_."

* * *

"And this is the last one!" Danhauser huffed, slamming the brownish box on the table of his room, using his arm to clean the sweat around his forehead, he sighed, relieved. "Never expected a lot of boxes, damn."

"…" Silently, Siegfried moved beside his master and peeked inside the cardboard while carefully pushing the laptop away from the mess. "What are those, master?"

Danhauser merely took one of the items inside the box, tossing it to his first Peerage member. "They're flyers, Sieg."

"Ah, I heard of them." Siegfried jumped slightly, startled by the gruffed voice of the second guest, much to his shock, it was a dragon. "Father told me it's to make contracts with others creatures, especially humans, right?"

"Exactly, Bova." The gray-eyed devil nodded, sighing tiredly. "Since I already have a servant, we can commence by spreading those flyers to humanity."

"I still can't believe that you have as an ally a Dragon." The former human commented, eyeing the creature beside him carefully.

Bova returned the hard look. For an odd reason, his scent is weird, he smells like one of his race, yet he smells like he bathed in the blood of a Dragon.

" _Who is this?_ Bova thought, folding his robust arms. He only knows that he's his rival's teammate that goes by the name "Sieg."

"Well, believe it, because he's going to come here. A lot." Danhauser chuckled, sparing a glance at the purple Western Dragon. "Glad to see you again, by the way."

Tannin's son only nodded.

"Anyways," He trailed off, glancing back at his servant. "As I said before, those are flyers, and Bova had already explained its function."

"Indeed he did," The Ex-Exorcist agreed. "Is there a reason for its use? How does this help the Underworld?"

"You see, Angels needs humans prayers to stay alive. We, the Devils, need their greed to survive." His master explained. "It's like the job everyone has in the Underworld to make sure our race doesn't face extinction."

"I thought the Belial's main work was politics?"

"That's my brother's job as a Lord of our House," Danhauser stated. "And as the heir of Belial, I'll take his role in the future." He cringed, still afraid of taking Diehauser's position as a Senator. "For now, the least we could do is give a good name to our House by spreading these and getting them sign up with satisfying reviews."

"Our family?" Siegfried repeated, eyebrow lifted.

"You're part of my Peerage, of course, you're also part of my family, too. Even if it sounds cliché." He sighed, glancing down at the separate boxes. "With these, we're going to get also paid and find our next Peerage members _finally_."

Every determined time a train filled with _treasures_ stops in front of their entrance to give their usual payment which involves: Diehauser's work in the politics, his father's half to help the family _and_ their favorable contracts with humans. He saw it, with his own eyes, how they extracted the all the wealth to a secret chamber where different types of riches are hidden, too, just in case if someone idiotic enough decided to attack their territory.

Of course, the train is not exclusively for The House of Belial. If Danhauser heard right, it has a strict path, starting from the House of Bael and finishing in the House of Dantalion, and all their delivery is supposed to end in _one_ day. How they make it so fast, it's a mystery for everyone.

All in all, Danhauser hadn't received jack shit that day. Which his uncle, Malacoda, in return, made fun of it, much to his chagrin.

But that stops now.

"Wait, you already know who you're going to recruit next?" The Knight asked incredulously.

" I know three potential members." Danhauser shrugged his shoulders.

"For real?" Bova asked, finally joining the conversation. He was distracted on glaring Siegfried's back that he forgot the main reason why he's here.

"Yeah."

"That's… That's quite fast," Siegfried praised. "It's not _that_ easy to find rookies for your growing ranks.

Bova only nodded, completely agreeing with the reincarnated Devil.

"Well, they don't know about me yet," Danhauser commented, scratching his ear. "If I play my cards correctly, then in a few weeks we can have two of them already in our team."

"And who are those two, if I may ask?"

Danhauser grinned and winked. "Can't tell you the names, but I can say something interesting." He paused, taking Siegfried's and Bova's silence as an allowance to spoil them. "Those two have _Longinus_ -Tier Sacred Gear."

…

"Holy shit…" Bova cursed, eyes wide as dinner plates, his body frozen right on the spot.

"Indeed." Siegfried gasped, sharing the same baffled look as Bova, mutually coinciding in their choice of words. "Forgive my French, but, holy shit."

Belial laughed, waving off their expressions. "All good. Just don't say it in front of mom." He stood quietly for a few seconds. " _Please_."

"And the last one?" The swordsman asked. "Who is he or her?"

"That one is going to take a few more to earn her trust." Danhauser sighed out. "I met her today during my time in school, cute girl with blonde hair and dark blue eyes. She's going to be my Bishop."

"So the first girl in our squad." Demonic Sword User hummed, crossing his arms. A small smile formed on his face. "I can see that you'd planned this for a long time. An amazing feat if I do say so myself. Glad I did the right thinking in joining your cause."

"Well…" The Devil scratched his head, embarrassed by the praise. "It's… not that great, but thanks." Mumbling the last part, he turned serious once again. "All right, this is the plan. We'll go in two separate towns. I'll go to Kuoh." He addressed his only servant. "Sieg, I need you to use the laptop and search the most known high schools in Japan."

Nodding firmly at his master's order, he walked towards the portable machine, summoning the best friend of any person with any kinds of doubts, Google. "Leave it to me."

"What am I going to do?" Bova spoke, looking at his rival with a scowl.

"For starters, thanks for offering your help." Seeing Bova grunt shyly a "no problem" under his breath, he gestured at the boxes. "I need you to help my servant on spreading the leaflets of my Housecarl."

Bova's scowl deepened. Not liking the idea of giving company to the silver-haired Knight, he quickly shot a discreet glare at the distracted Knight before facing his rival. "I don't like him."

Danhauser moved an eyebrow up at the blunt reply. "First Sairaorg and now him?" He hissed, nodding at Siegfried who's quietly rambling at the slow Internet access.

"His scent… is weird." Bova slowly pronounced, his slitted eyes sharpening. "He smells like a Dragon, yet he smells like he'd slew one before."

"Ah." Danhauser immediately understood Bova's distrust toward the red-eyed Knight. Since Siegfried has Twice Critical, which is a common, recurring Dragon-Type Sacred Gear, but in a sub-species shape, _plus_ former wielder of the Sword of the Sun, Gram, a dragon-slayer weapon.

"You'll have to ask him, but later," Danhauser said in a hushed tone. He could answer for him, but perhaps if the two talked a little, they would get along fine. Not as best friends, but trust each other's back is more than enough to satisfy Belial.

Bova only grunted.

"Master, which high school you're trying to find?" Siegfried asked, looking up from the laptop's screen, oblivious of the two talking behind his back.

"Ryou something." Danhauser rubbed his forehead, trying to remember the word completely and correctly. "Hadn't you found something close to that?"

Siegfried squinted his eyes and resumed his work. After a few clicks and scrolling, he found the one. "I think I've found it. Ryoukuu High School?"

Danhauser's eyes widened, and he quickly snapped his fingers. "That's the one. Town's name?"

"Just like the school, Ryoukuu Town."

"Excellent. I want you to go with Bova there to the High School and hand out the flyers." Danhauser ordered, eliciting a nod from Siegfried. If the Knight didn't like the idea of teaming up with the Dragon, then he did a damn good job on hiding his displeasure.

"Anything else?"

"If they ask who you guys are, tell them you're magicians." Danhauser shrugged his shoulders. "Just to play safe." The last thing Belial wants is to hear from Siegfried that one of the many students dropped a drama of getting assaulted by a Devil to the point it would spread to their surroundings _and_ bring unwanted attention.

"Good thing I look human, then," Bova deadpanned.

Danhauser scoffed and waved off his statement. "Say you're wearing a dragon costume."

"What makes you think they'd fall for that one?"

"Uh, Just trust me. I'm an engineer."

"…If they somehow buy it, then I'll be hesitant entrusting my back to my future teammates." Siegfried heaved a sigh, closing the laptop.

"Fine then," Danhauser rolled his eyes. "Change your size into your miniature Dragon form and act like a damn Dragon Komodo." Then he turned to Siegfried. "You just need a leash to act as if Bova was your pet."

"Komodo Dragons don't have wings," Bova retorted, waving his draconic wings.

"They're not purple either," Siegfried added his two cents.

"Well, if they ask say he was different from his family and thus discriminated by the rest of Komodos Dragons. Saddened, he ran away and found you. End."

Siegfried whistled. "The lore thickens."

"I still have doubts this is going to work." Bova shrugged his thick shoulders. "But oh well, it's worth a shot."

" _Please_ , teenagers nowadays are going to take a damn selfie with something they hadn't seen in person _._ You'll be fine. _"_ He clapped his hands twice. "Remember, don't give a lot of flyers in the town, only to the students. We are only two Devils, and it's going to be _too_ much for us to handle alone."

"Hence the reason for why we need more allies in your Peerage." Siegfried's descendant mused, nodding. "Consider it done."

"What's a selfie?" Bova asked.

"Great, questions?" Ignoring Bova's curiosity he waited for their reactions. He saw two shook their heads simultaneously. He smirked. "Good. Time to work, team."

* * *

It was an ordinary day in the human world, warm, but not enough to put Danhauser in a thirst for cold water. The only occasion where Kuoh Town is going to face the snowfall is the obvious, Christmas Eve, well, in all honesty, Japan would defiantly snow. It's going to be an exciting day, because, in his former life, he never had seen a single snowflake with his own eyes. The only time he'd saw one was behind the TV's screen, and that's it.

He'd Finished delivering the flyers outside Kuoh's Academy gates, which he was successful in convincing a few students to accept the small sheet of paper. While he was doing his job, He'd heard a few students whispering. They'd compared him with the Headmistress of the Academy: Cleria Belial, or more known in the human world as "Claire Bellabel." They weren't wrong with their theories.

He was proud of his efforts. His cousin, Cleria, offered to distribute the flyers to the students while they were listening to the teacher's rational explanations. He refused. He doesn't want to depend on the help of his family too much, by having Diehauser train him with hand to hand combat and now his uncle, Malacoda, showing him the arts of the King of weapons, the Spear, is more than enough. He desired to show himself that he can do things too, by himself.

"So mission accomplished, soldier?" Cleria jokingly said, resting on a chair. Taking a deep sniff to enjoy the aroma.

"Yeah." Danhauser also took his seat; he picked up the menu and started reading, hoping to find something to satisfy his stomach. "Now I just have to wait."

Cleria hummed, looking at her cousin before glancing around the place. School's time reached its end, followed by students immediately walking away from the center of education and since she'd finished her duty Cleria had decided to invite Danhauser to her favorite coffee shop.

The place wasn't out from the world, but it was beautiful enough to catch the client's attention. Red walls and chestnut brown tables throughout the small area. The sound of small-talk filled the air along with the smell of vanilla. The friendly ambiance and the excellent service the workers radiated on this place made her feel like she was at home.

The thought of retreating from high school and build her coffee shop did cross her mind. But she doesn't have the courage to do that, yet. Plus the exorcist roaming around Kuoh's streets made her skin crawl. Imagining having an Exorcist as a client would make the atmosphere tense, and of course, awkward.

"Something's wrong?" She heard Danhauser speak, blinking she looked at the young Belial.

"Eh? No, why?" Cleria blurted out, once again relaxing at the smell of baked bread.

"Well, you hadn't picked up your menu yet…" Danhauser trailed off, nodding at the list of food lying on the table.

She shrugged a single shoulder. "Well, I come here every time, so I already know what I'll be ordering." She smiled, taking off her gray suit jacket, leaving her only on a white button front blouse. "So? Made up your mind what to eat?"

"I'll go for a coffee," Danhauser answered, seeing how Cleria raised a brow. "What? For your information, I'd already drunk coffee before."

"Oh? Where and when?"

"The maids made one for me." He lied, he'd took a sip of coffee in his previous life, and since then, he'd started loving the drink.

"If you say so…" She trailed off, jumping to her next question. "Hey, Danny?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are you training?" Cleria asked. She'd been curious about this subject, but unfortunately, she didn't have the chance to ask her personally, so she went to the nearest targets for her: Diehauser and Calcabrina. Unfortunately, they didn't know either of why wash your body in sweat and bruises.

"Well, I want to sharpen my abilities," Danhauser answered nonchalantly, but deep inside he was getting nervous.

"But _why_?" Cleria let her persistent side take hold of this conversation. "You're training like you're going to war."

"Why would you assume that?"

"You're training hand to hand combat with Diehauser, demonic power, Worthlessness, Malebranche's housecarl trait, _and_ training how to wield a spear by our Uncle." Her eyes suddenly softened. "Don't… don't you think it's too much?"

He frowned at her concern, slowly shifting around the chair to address the beautiful woman properly. "I still can't grasp the problem?"

Cleria groaned in her hands, slowly leading them back to the table, she was feeling already nervous talking about this topic. "You're a child. A _teenager_ , someone around your age should just go outside and… enjoy life, you know?" She glanced around the small restaurant, trying to spot any nearby waitress to ask for their orders.

"… Honestly, I don't like the outside world." He replied truthfully, looking at the huge glass beside them, hoping to spot his future peerage member from his seat. "I always preferred embracing solicitude than going out with friends. Of course, If I somehow make friends, I'd try to go out with them, I just have had to hope it doesn' take too long."

"Okay, but what about your training?" Cleria played with her thumbs. "Maybe it's too much for someone around your age? If I were you, I'd try to get the hang of something first and later jump to the next session, you know?"

"I like training," Danhauser answered, shrugging, smiling awkwardly. "And it's also the only way I can 'talk' freely with Diehauser and now my Uncle, too…" He hates small talks, and even worse when the dull silence jumps to add its opinion.

"…" Cleria stared for a good while, not even noticing the waitress standing beside them, nervous at her frozen state, luckily, Danhauser just asked for the two, a cup of warm coffee.

Finally, she laughed wholeheartedly, letting her clenched fist slam on the table, startling the young Belial.

"H-hey." He glanced around, seeing how a few random clients are shooting them curious and annoyed looks before quickly getting back to their business, wishing mentally for the woman to shut her trap. "You're… you're making a scene."

"A-alright. I'm alright." Cleria took a deep breath, before slowly exhaling heavily. She smiled warmly at Danhauser. "And here I thought you were different from Diehauser."

"…Really?" He asked, eyeing her carefully, surprised to be compared to the Champion himself.

"Umhum." Cleria hummed, pointing her index finger at him, playfully spinning it. "He also has a joy for training. _Plus_ he also lacks friends."

"What makes you think I don't have a lot of friends?"

"Do you?"

"Well, no," He admitted, sighing. "How many friends he has?"

"Without counting our family and his Peerage?" She made the peace sign. "Only two and they're called Rudiger and Tannin." She sighed, smiling sadly. "I told him to at least make friends with the other senators, but he didn't do it. I was an idiot back then. I'm glad he'd ignored my words."

" _The last thing I want to hear is one of those corrupted bastards toying with him as a puppet."_ Cleria bit her lip. She knows Diehauser very well, he's terrible talking with other people, but when it involves in work, Diehauser shines way better than those wannabe politicians.

Unfortunately, the Emperor, even if he's an influential, well-known figure whose name could make a Stray Devil faint, he's a pure and naïve person from the inside. Even if his age already has three digits on it. He thinks that the people he's working with are doing their best to keep the Underworld safe from harm, no one wanted to shatter that innocent dream of his, except a woman, Calcabrina Belial, who'd tried to warn his child about their true intentions. Diehauser, of course, ignored her ranting.

" _Or maybe they're already toying with ."_ Cleria rubbed her temple, holding back her anger. No matter what they'd say, Diehauser is a thick headed. They can't even express their logic in public, or else, they'd send someone to kill them. Or worse, extinct their Clan.

But even then, stubborn or not, his family doesn't want to see Diehauser's innocence wither away. That's perhaps one of the many things that make the House of Belial unique among the others.

"Huh." Danhauser glanced down at the table, tapping it. He had the odd feeling that Diehauser wasn't truly a social person, especially when he doesn't have the time to make friends with all the politics business over his shoulders.

"You truly changed. A lot." Cleria smiled sadly, shattering the silence. She doesn't know if it was right or wrong, but at least he's still breathing. "I'll go to the bathroom." She stood up from her seat. "I'll be back, don't leave your seat!"

He watched her go with half-lidded eyes, before aiming his attention to the window, blinking as he saw the children playing with happy looks on the park, one of them being an exception, the brunette boy looked as if he was waiting for someone.

He also looked oddly familiar, but Danhauser hadn't visited Kuoh, until now.

Then it hit him.

There he is, looking three years old youngers than Danhauser with his spiky brown hair, and light brown eyes, his presence shining among the rest of teenagers running around the place.

He'd found him. Issei Hyoudou, the user of one of the Mid-Tier Longinus Gear, the Boosted Gear.

He slowly stood up, mouth agape and eyes wide as saucers. Danhauser slowly strolled to the exit, not caring about the warm drink anymore. Before pushing the doors open, he spared a glance behind his shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

He opened the door as wide as possible and stepped out from the building. Carefully walking the streets, he doesn't want to appear suspicious.

As he slowly approached Issei, he started to get nervous. _"So how do I begin? I say hello and play with him, right? Is he a pervert? If so, then I can talk about boobs to earn his trust."_

He looked up, and to his shock, Issei was looking at his direction, head tilted to the side.

…

Suddenly Issei grinned goofily and rushed forward, making the young Devil take a step instinctively backward.

" _Shit. Issei's coming to my direction, but why?"_ He'd never visited Kuoh Town until today, and obviously, he didn't have any sorts of contact with the brunette nor with his family.

Unless…

His train of thoughts took an end when he felt a small force push him to the side, tripping him slightly.

"Watch it!" Danhauser snapped, glaring daggers at a familiar chestnut-haired tomboyish girl.

" _Irina Shidou."_ Danhauser mentally called out the name, seeing how the two met in the middle of the park, not wasting their time to drain all their energies in the hyperactive childish games.

He stood there, seemed motionless for eternity, just by her sheer presence alone, he'd lost the opportunity to make the Red Dragon Emperor as his servant.

" _Damn it all… Damn it fucking all…!"_ He mentally cursed, fists clenched, it took him weeks to plan _EVERYTHING_ accordingly, and just like that, his tactics wiped away by this cheerful girl alone.

" **Now what's your move, young one?"** The man beside him asked, hands behind the back, watching the two children with slight amusement. Danhauser doesn't shot him a glance, he already knows who's this man, yet he doesn't know him, the small spotlight he'd received during the canon was the main issue that made it impossible to stand against him. If you don't know your enemy, but know yourself, then fear the result of a hundred battles.

Touji Shidou. Irina's father, a prominent member of the Protestant Church and the one behind Cleria's execution. In other words, the antagonist of his new life.

Danhauser is pissed. How? HOW?! After he'd planned everything by just his sheer presence alone, he blocked him _so_ badly. He knew about his presence still being in Kuoh, but he, sticking his nose where it's not his business? It pissed him off a lot. He wanted to punch his teeth's out of his mouth.

" _Deep breaths, Dan. Deep breaths."_ Belial let a sigh massage his throat, facing the man."What are you saying?" Danhauser asked, feigning innocence. "I just want to play with the other children."

"Play?" Touji repeated, scoffing, not casting the young Devil a brief look. "Please, don't take me as a fool. I know what were you planning, _Devil_." He rolled his wrist, finally facing the gray-haired devil, a warning look on his features. "You Devils are only seeking to steal your victim's souls, and later, turn them into your slaves. You're _not_ a difference."

"I suppose the same could go all religion..." He allowed himself a faint smirk when he caught a ghost of a twitch blighting his facial characteristics. He dropped the act of naiveté."I could ask you the same thing, _exorcist_. What're you doing?"

The elder shrugged, facing his cute angel. "Giving the situation you're currently in, I don't think you have the rights to demand answers."

"What?" Danhauser blurted out, eyeing his surroundings carefully. He knows what's happening, since this man, Touji, is the leader of all exorcists around here, he's of course, guarded by his soldiers, those orders also goes for Irina and indirectly, Issei.

They know Danhauser's here, and he doesn't know where they are.

"Now you understand in what hole you'd fallen?" Touji's voice reached Danhauser's ears; swiftly he threw him a glare. The man just smiled in return. "Checkmate."

"You have me surrounded, so what?" Danhauser growled.

"The thought of my allies shooting you down doesn't frighten you? Or it hasn't crossed your mind, yet?"

"Ask that question for yourself." Danhauser snapped. "How would you feel if you kill a child? A bad way to spread the _peaceful_ word of your Religion." He doesn't have anything against the Catholics since, in his former life, he was also a follower of God. He just wants to break him up.

"A child who is a Devil." Touji reminded him.

"A Devil from an influential family." Danhauser countered back. "Indeed, lay a finger on me, and it's not going to end very well for you and your agents." That's how Kuoh works in his timeline. It's just neutral ground that belongs to the humans, not devils nor angels, nor fallen angels. Touji cannot raise his weapons on Cleria or Danhauser, not even if the Archangel Michael says so. Likewise, The two Belial's can't either attack the exorcist, even if Great King Zekram or Lord Bael wants them dead. Heaven and the Underworld must come to an agreement to raise the flags.

In other words, if Touji retreats from Kuoh, Devils can reclaim it. If Cleria leaves, it belongs to the church.

Touji hummed, scratching his chin. "You're smart. You're different from other Devils I had met. I just hope you understand that that threat goes for you, too."

Belial grunted, turning around and ready to leave. "Whatever." He has another day to recruit Issei; it doesn't matter.

Before he could continue on his way, Touji talks once again, loudly. "….I'm interested, what made you go for that child?"

Danhauser stopped. "What?"

"You heard me." Touji coldly said. "I know him and his family for a _long_ time. He doesn't know how to fight; he lacks control over magic, and swordsmanship, too. Devils are known for pursuing compelling characters, so, why him? Or am I missing something?"

"…"

"Nothing?" Touji turned around, arching an eyebrow. "Should I share my speculation?" Not waiting for his response, he threw the bomb. "The boy has a Sacred Gear, isn't it?"

"…" It was difficult. The act of preserving a stoic facade after being spotted _so_ easily made him _anxious,_ but mostly angry of getting discovered _so FUCKING_ easy. He just stood there, glued on the grass, keeping his breathing in check, just staring back at those trained eyes of the Exorcist.

Slowly, he saw a smirk emerge from his face, an expression that doesn't match with his appearance. "A _Longinus_ , perhaps?"

He'd kept his emotions locked to the deepest part of his body, or well, that's what he thought at first, but after witnessing Touji's smirk stretching ever so slightly, he knew he fucked it up. _Hard._

Touji peeked up, his smirk turning into a forced and welcoming smile. "Ah, Claire, beautiful as always with that suit of yours. I presume you're here to pick up your child…?"

"…" Danhauser felt a soft hand resting on his shoulder; he didn't turn around to guess who she was. It was Cleria. "He's not my child, _Sir_. Just the son of a friend of mine."

Touji tilted his head, a look of confusion running over his features."So you're working as a baby sister too?"

"No, just returning a favor."

He nodded in acceptance. "Understood, I apologize if comparing you to the child offended you in other ways. It's just that you two have the same racial traits. A male carbon copy of you I dare to say."

Cleria faked a friendly smile. "We get that a lot." Her smile stretched lightly. "That girl over there has a lot resemblance to you, daughter of yours?"

"Hmm?" He spun around to catch a glimpse of Irina playing with Issei, before facing Cleria once again, shrugging. "Not at all. Never saw her in my life, I was just doing my usual routine in this delightful park."

Cleria laughed dryly, not buying it. "Of course you were, sir, of course." Squeezing Danhauser's shoulder, she walked away without bidding her goodbye. A tense silence following the two gray-haired Devils.

.

.

"I…"

" _Not_ a single word, Danhauser."

Danhauser exhaled, noisily. _"Fuck me."_

* * *

"So… punishment of sorts?" Siegfried broke the thin ice, sitting beside his master.

"Nope," Danhauser frowned, before adding. "Well, if you count that I'll be staying at Cleria's side and _yours_ every time I visit Kuoh, then sure. That'd be my punishment."

Danhauser had walked on a minefield that day. A massive _thunder_ storm. He'd felt the wrath of the Emperor Belial and Lady Belial; it was his first time getting scolded. He'd just damned wished there wasn't a second time.

He'd been nervous; they're intimidating and taller than him. In all honesty, he'd understood why they had gotten angry and yelled at his face for those stupid actions.

He could've asked Siegfried and Bova to keep him company.

He could've waited patiently for Cleria.

But he had his reasons; he'd just needed time to explain everything.

And luckily, they understood. After Danhauser had explained everything to them, Calcabrina fulfilled her role as a mother and started her rant, especially when he brought up about Issei's Sacred Gear. He never mentioned it was Boosted Gear, since they'd be suspicious of him guessing out, since Rias in the Anime knew that Hyoudou had a Sacred Gear, then he'd assumed that it's an essential trait for all Devils in general.

Calcabrina was the most worried during the scolding. She doesn't want to lose her baby for the third time. Ever. Of course, she took the matter way deeper than Diehauser, who, during that occasion was wearing his cool mask and act as the voice of reason. She didn't care if that kid had all the Longinus in his grasp, she would always choose her son's safety over some God's Artifacts. Always.

" _Am I turning greedy?"_ Belial bit his lip; he didn't want a Peerage to shine among the rest in the Rating Games, he just intends to survive this chaotic world, and he's _giving them_ a chance to choose, if they don't want, well, they're free to go, and nothing will happen.

The worrisome thing about the Exorcist in Kuoh is that there's no way to identify them, as previously Malacoda had stated. They can camouflage with the community _so easily_ ; the Exorcist could be the man who paints your house, the man who maws your grass, your neighbor, a teacher in Kuoh.

Or even your lover, and still, you wouldn't know. Since Exorcists don't have a demonic aura coating their bodies, or the angelic one, the one that Angels and Fallen Angels have.

They're just humans. God's devotees. Men and Women who offered their future to protect the innocent from creatures of the dark.

"Why you didn't want me to come?" Siegfried asked, frowning. "You know that my duty is to protect you, right?"

"Because you were a former exorcist," Danhauser answered easily. "And a famous one. Even if they may have written your status as 'K.I.A.', you are still well-known among their headquarters. Just for safe measure."

"True." Siegfried agreed. "But they'd eventually find out since I have to follow you now to Kuoh from now on."

"We'll discuss that later." Danhauser jumped to the next topic. "Since Bova had to leave earlier, I want to hear your progress."

Siegfried nodded, clearing his throat. "We'd rightly passed the flyers with flying colors. I have to say, Bova acting as a Komodo Dragon brought the teenager's attention and that had made the work less exhausting."

Danhauser smiled meekly. "See? I told you it'd work." His smile dropped. "Now, same here. I'd succeeded on handing out the flyers and had a small chit-chat with an Exorcist. Their leader."

"Now what?" Siegfried asked, his red eyes glinting.

"Now you'll take a rest," Danahuser ordered, laying his back deeply on the wall. "I'll do all those contracts by myself."

Siegfried's eyes widened. "What?! I-I can't let you do that! _That's_ my job! Not yours!"

Danhauser rolled his eyes. " _Fine._ We'll split the jobs, does that sounds right for you?"

The silver-haired Knight nodded, satisfied. "I can get along with that. Something else?"

"Actually… yes." Danhauser glanced to a nearby painting. "So far… how am I doing as a King? Should I change something from my way of acting…?"

The Hero Descendant blinked at the question; it was hard to hear it, similar to a murmur. "Well… it's been a day since you'd reincarnated me into a Devil and I don't have much to say…" Siegfried trailed off, biting his lip. "But yes, there's a thing I'd like you to change."

"I'm open to suggestions…"

"Next time. _Please_ let me know when you're going to do something so reckless." Siegfried implored. "Even if I've openly admitted that I'd joined your team just to reclaim Gram from that bastard's hands, it doesn't mean I'm just going to turn a blind eye to your safety. Because what you'd done back then was honestly stupid. Even if the Exorcists can't put you down."

After hearing his Knight's scolding, Danhauser couldn't help but groan in his hand. "Damn… You sound like my mother." He dragged his hand away from his face. "But okay, next time I'll make sure to keep you in the loop."

Siegfried smiled, contented. "That's all I ask, master." He nodded to the closed doors. "Now, how about some sparring, hm? We could hone our skills together."

Danhauser shrugged. "Lead the way."

* * *

A week has passed since Danhauser had met with Touji. Every time the two Devils would teleport to the call of their contractor. Most of them involved tagging Bova along since the teenagers weren't satisfied petting the Dragon, much to Tannin's son dismay. He'd made a mental note to offer Bova a part for his Peerage, maybe he'd accept.

In school, he knows sees Sairaorg making the first move by joining him on Danhauser's favorite spot, even if he takes shy steps, it's better than nothing. He's also someone great to talk around, a pity that not all the Devils could care less about that. Bael still holds bitterness towards Rias' presence, but maybe that'd change eventually.

Since that day in the park with Irina's father. Danhauser had been worried. He knows that Issei has a Sacred Gearthe one that houses the Welsh Dragon, Y Ddraig Goch.

Is Touji going to recruit Issei to the Church? Did he'd just fucked up canon _that_ badly? Touji can take the brunette to England since his daughter is a close friend of the Red Dragon. He doesn't know if shitting on the timeline like that is a good thing or a bad one.

" _Irina, even if I liked you in the series. Your father is an asshole. Nuff said."_ Danhauser grunted, a wave of nervousness ensnaring him tightly.

"Dan."

If Issei joined with the Catholic what'd change? Him getting training just as Dulio? Him not sacrificing his arm to Ddraig? Him not saving Rias from Riser's arranged wedding?

"Dan. Are you listening?"

Issei's not becoming a _Harem_ King.

" _Holy shit."_ Danhauser cursed inwardly. _"I think I screwed it up_ just _a little…!"_

"Dan!"

Having his name screamed right on his back surprised the young Devil almost falling to the floor if he hadn't pressed his palm against the wall. Turning around, he found himself staring at the huge figure of his brother, Diehauser, whose eyes are tweaking with slight annoyance.

Danhauser smiled sheepishly, followed by an apologetic look. "Sorry brother. I was daydreaming." He scratched his neck.

"Apparently," Diehauser sighed and shook his head. "Doesn't matter. Your Knight, Siegfried, said that there's another contract pending. He wants to know if you're going to take this one or not."

Danhauser held back a sigh. The main reason why he'd ordered Siegfried and Bova to spread those summoning cards in that particular town is to find their next teammate, but unfortunately, no progress thus far. He'd told Siegfried the name of the boy and the girl, but absolutely nothing.

He knows that he's in that town, sick, the man's girl friend is always going to drop a visit and cook for him, but now she's going out on a school trip. On the fourth day of that trip, everything goes to shit.

"Sure, I'll do it," Danhauser answered, pocketing his hands and standing beside his brother, ready to follow him.

The Emperor merely nodded and took the lead, Danhauser following his steps carefully. Maybe he's not finding his next chess piece, but at least he's helping the House of Belial with the essential tasks.

" _Oh well, let's just get this over with."_

* * *

The girl pouted.

No matter how much she rambled with this! The simple flyer won't work! She'd took it from a handsome silver-haired boy that has a Komodo Dragon as a pet, how? She doesn't know. The brunette girl just wanted to summon the 'Magician' to seek for his assistance.

She's going to a sightseeing tour with _two hundred thirty-three_ teenagers, and today she's supposed to be at the airport with the rest of teachers _and_ students! But she couldn't leave her childhood friend alone, especially when he's dead sick!

She'd always believed in magic, hence the reason why she's giving the small piece of paper a shot. Her friends always made fun of her because of that. They'd say magic doesn't depend on their world; it's just pure fantasy to entertain the toddlers. She just ignored their teasing.

" _Why isn't it working?"_ The girl grumbled, moving the flyer as if it was a small paper fan. _"I even made a small cut on my thumb to activate the supposed the spell that the magician had told me before!"_ At first, she thought she'd cast the chanting correctly since the brochure brightened to a color similar to dark gray, but the light soon disappeared after that.

"Great…!" The girl exclaimed sarcastically, sucking the blood from her thumb. "I'd just wasted half an hour by doing this!" Before the frustrated teenager could throw the circular paper, a bright gray flash appeared beside her, stopping her from incoming movements. After a few seconds, the light ceased from the town, leaving something behind in return.

"…I'll make the assumption you'd call for my services?" She glanced at his direction, frowning.

"You're… you're a different magician." It wasn't a question, but a statement. She carefully began studying him from head to toes.

"He's working under me," Danhauser waved off her question. "We'd just split our jobs."

"Ah," the girl nodded in acceptance. "Well, before we start I should give you a name." She coughed into her fist, grinning. "My name is Sae Toujou! Pleased to meet you!"

The Devil's eyes widened unnoticeably. "Sae?" He slowly repeated her name.

"That's my name! Don't waste it!" Sae winked playfully. "And what's yours?"

" _Finally, I found them,"_ Breaking from his initial shock, Danhauser shook his head and took a slight bow. "Eliphas Levi under your service. Miss Sae."

"Ah, not only a Magician but a gentleman, too!" Sae praised him, before diving to the important topic. "Anyways, I'm in a hurry. See the building behind me?" She jumped to Danhauser's side, letting the 'Magician' watch the building properly.

It wasn't something outside of this world, just a rectangular yellowish building that towered all the houses surrounding it. It wasn't big enough to scratch the clouds either, but large enough to catch for a few seconds the attention from stranger's passing by the town.

" _So there he is, my next Peerage member."_ Danhauser was struggling on keeping his mask of stoicism. He turned to the shorter girl. "What of it?"

"You see, on the last floor is located my best friend's room." Sae started, suddenly puffing her cheeks. "We were supposed to go a school trip with _a lot of_ students and teachers, too. Unfortunately, he caught a cold, and I have no one to take care of him while I'm away!"

"What about his parents?" Danhauser asked, keeping his eyes on the building's entrance.

Her expression turned grim. "I…I don't want to talk about that."

"I see. What about yours, then?" Danhauser went for the next question, shifting his hands inside his pockets. He'd known about the death of the boy's parents.

"They can't. Work is weighing them down." She sighed sadly. "They can't even take me to the airport." Sae's smile once again bloomed. Danhauser found it cute. "That's why I need your help! You don't have to necessarily stay inside his apartment room to watch over him, as long as you cook him something to fill his stomach, then that's more than enough."

Danhauser hummed and rubbed his chin, nodding. "Alright. I'll take care of your boyfriend while you're absent."

"Great! Thank you so—! B-b-boyfriend!?" Sae's face suddenly flushed bright pink. "H-h-he's not my boyfriend you boob! Just an important person in my life!"

"Isn't that supposed to be a boyfriend?"

"CHILDHOOD FRIEND!" Sae immediately swapped her words of choice. "H-he's my childhood friend! Yes! That's it!"

Danhauser had deadpanned at the red-faced girl before he shrugged. "If you say so."

"…" Sae nodded shyly and awkwardly began walking away to the airport, but a hand on her shoulder pinned her in place. "Eh?"

"I can't let you go there." Danhauser kept it blunt, surprising Sae. "I recommend you to stay with your friend."

Sae blinked, twice and just for safe measure a _third_ time. Finally, she chuckled. "I appreciate that you're worrying about me, but your job is to—"

Danhauser didn't let her finish, giving her a karate-chop to the side of her neck, knocking her out and quickly catching her before her face could land on the concrete.

"… I thought that wouldn't work." Danhauser muttered, shifting her into bridal style position. He glanced down at the unconscious girl. "Could you imagine how awkward that'd be?"

Not expecting an answer, he stopped in front of the doors made of glass, peeking to see if the receptionist is inside. "It's clear. Maybe he went to throw a nuke in his bathroom or something." He kicked the doors open softly and silently made his way towards the stairs.

"Last floor, huh?" Danhauser spoke to himself, looking how tall the buildings look from the inside, grunting he made sure Sae was in a comfortable position. "Well, it'd be worthy."

Thus he started climbing.

* * *

"I can't believe I'm not exhausted," Danhauser patted himself on the back, reaching the last floor. "This just proves that my training is bearing fruits. Yay."

He didn't waste his time to scan his surroundings; he just walked towards the only door in his sight.

" _This is it."_ Danhauser rolled his neck, somewhat nervous, standing in front of the entrance. _"It's going to be difficult to convince him since I have his crush resting on my arms. Knocked."_

Finally, Danhauser knocked on the door by using his shoe.

.

.

.

" _Is he asleep?"_ Danhauser scowled, repeating his actions, but this time harder.

"Coming!" He heard it, the annoyed reply followed by a sneeze and a snort. "Is it you Sae? Did you forgot your bag something?"

"It's not Sae."

.

.

.

"Who is it?" His voice sharpened.

"Someone that Sue sent out to take an eye out for you while she was on her excursion," Danhauser answered, clicking his tongue when he saw the door still locked. He's not convinced it seems.

"…You think I'll fall for that one?" The teenager scoffed, walking away from the door. "Go away. I don't have time for pranks."

"Sae is with me." Belial nonetheless continued. He heard his steps stopping. "She's, uh, unconscious."

There was a brief silence inside and outside the room, Danhauser hesitated to press his ear on the door. "This is my last warning. Go away, or else I'll call the damn police!"

Danhauser grounded his teeth. He's already tense on continuing this conversation. _"He's making it more difficult. Is he forcing me to use my cards under my sleeve? Fine then."_ He harrumphed. "I'd be late saying this, but I'm sorry for your grandmother's loss."

…

The steps once again appeared, this time louder than before. "H-How'd you know about this?!" The teenager demanded between sniffs, anger filling his veins. "I'd never a single soul about it! Sae being the exception!"

"Open the door, and we can talk about it." The gray-haired devil responded calmly, making sure the brunette girl is loose within his grasp.

After minutes of hesitance, Danhauser started hearing the mechanical noises of locks getting unlocked. He gulped a chunk of saliva. _"Now or never, I guess."_

Finally, the door opened.

"Alright, you better speak or else…" The brunette trailed off, his brown eyes widening in shock, finally seeing the familiar student under Belial's arms. "What…?"

Danhauser kept a stoic face. "Now, can we speak correctly, Ageha's grandchild?"

Tobio met Danhauser's eyes and his spine immediately shivered. He began breathing with violence behind his surgical mask and his heart rate accelerated, that's when he noticed his heart started thrumming uncontrollably.

To his surprise the Devil cocked his head and laughed softly, sending another chill crawling on his back. "I can't believe it. It worked. My plan finally worked." Danhauser turned his gaze at the frightened teenager, sending him a small smile. "I can't believe I'd meet with you of all people. Tobio Ikuse."

"H-How…?" Tobio, former Top Fighter of Grigori, the Longinus User: Canis Lykaon, _Slash Dog_ , voiced out weakly, body washed in cold sweat, staggering backward. He kept his distance away from the gray-haired teenager who has his friend since infancy grasped tightly under his grasp. His back collided with a wall, his chocolate-brown eyes following the movements of the Devil walking inside his room. "A-away…!"

Danhauser ignored his pleas, shutting the door with a soft push of his heel. He strolled toward the sofa, ignoring the panicked glare of Tobio, carefully laying down Sae.

"So, Tobio," Danhauser stood straight, turning around with a friendly smile. "I hope you're ready for a long talk."

Tobio clenched his trembling fists. "G-go…away…"

Danhauser drew an apologetic look. "I'm afraid I can't do that, yet." He took a seat beside the unconscious girl. "I have an offer that it could benefit both of us, but first I want to talk."

Tobio's jaw tightened. He was under the strings of this bastard; he could only do something.

Play his damn game.

"W-what do you want?" Tobio growled, trying to keep a fierce look. Ignoring the devil's peaceful words.

Danhauser's smile widened.

"Say, what do you know about the Supernatural World?"

* * *

 **Lurker: A muchos no les gusta la politica, incluyendome, y desafortunadamente en futuros capitulos vamos a ir mas a fondo sobre ese tema, desde el punto de vista de Diehauser. Gracias por la review! Saludos!**

 **Is this what people call cliff-hanger? Maybe. Don't know.**

 **Honestly? This story was supposed to be updated since four days ago. Yep. Sorry about that.**

 **Anyways, I don't think I need to say who's Tobio Ikuse; I'll just say this. Tobio Ikuse is the main protagonist of Ishibumi's buried Light Novel, Slash/Dog. In 2014 he reinstalled the novel and now functions as spin-off prequel of Highschool DxD.**

 **So yeah, the Ryoukuu, the excursion wasn't made by me, nor Sae Toujou. It all belongs to Ishibumi.**

…

 **Well, I think you guys know what Chess Piece Tobio is going to use.**

 **Thia chapter was more about meeting new faces** _ **and**_ **Tobio's appearance. I know some of you want some actions, but, patience, I assure you. The action soon is going to appear in future chapters.  
**

 **Thanks for reading! Cheers!**

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Worth it?  
**


	9. Worth it?

**Chapter 9: Worth it?**

* * *

Diehauser sighed in his well-worn, dark leather chair, which squeaked every time he leaned back into it. Not that the Emperor cared about the high-pitched sound, he'd just got used to it. In fact, Diehauser liked to call it his "throne." A rather fitting name, he thought.

That doesn't change the fact that he seriously needs to find the source of the sound at least. Especially when he's inside a room where silence is appreciated by the rest of the Senators.

The huge parlor is dark and has an empty atmosphere around it, with a large porcelain floor, walls covered in dark oak panels, and vast white pillars holding the roof. The room is dimly lit with a tasteful chandelier and two smaller standing lamps with Oriental lamp-shades. On the walls stood expensive looking abstract paintings, offering some life to their surroundings.

Once again, he sighed, tapping the rounded and elegant table while eyeing carefully the well-known faces he has worked with for years, all of them emitting an aura of impatience and nervousness, but their facial expressions hide it very well, fitting for a politician.

Unfortunately, the compliment couldn't be used to describe Lord Bael's facial expression.

Walking in circles with hands folded from behind, Sairaorg's father growled. "Five minutes have already passed, and he isn't here yet? Who does this man think he is?!"

From his seat beside Lord Bael's throne, Lord Agares sighed. "It must be something important, Lord Bael, hence his unpunctuality."

"Important?" The black-haired man repeated, scoffing, facing the blond man. "What's more important than a meeting that is _beneficial_ to the Ars Goetia? He's just slowing _us_!"

"Lord Bael, only five minutes have passed. Maybe he's already making his way here?" Lord Paimon nervously said.

Lord Bael glared. "The problem here is _not_ only his lateness but it is turning into a _damn_ routine!" He slammed his hands on the table, venting off some of his frustration. His glare shifted to Diehauser. "Emperor Belial, are you sure that you notified Lord Zagan about our gathering?"

Unfazed by the hard look, Diehauser nodded. "Affirmative. I even received Lady Zagan's response. Maybe Lord Paimon is right; we should just wait."

"Wait? No." Magdaran's father stood in refusal. "We're going to start the session with or without Lord Zagan's attendance."

After those words flew from Lord Bael's mouth, the huge doors slowly began to open up, earning the attention of the whole cast.

"Speaking of the Devil…" Lord Agares huffed, adjusting his glasses.

"Finally!" Bael's snapped, eyes fogged by furor, watching the silhouette hike to the empty seat, "Seven minutes wasted and all thanks to your absence! You have _some_ courage to be this late! You better have an excellent… who are you?"

The woman winced at the tone of his voice, bowing deeply. "I'm Lord Zagan's wife; I'll be taking his place while he's… occupied."

"…" Misla's husband mouth froze, flabbergasted. Slowly slumping on his glorious throne, staring at Lady Zagan as if she had just insulted his precious mother. "Incredible." He laughed, bitterly. " _Occupied?_ Occupied?!" Seeing Zagan's shy nod made him clench his fists. "Occupied on what exactly? Having 'alone time' with the many maids and concubines inside your Household?!"

"N-no your majesty," She gulped. "After recruiting two new members for his Peerage, my spouse began working on something that could favor us, the Devils."

…

"Glad you could take your husband's place," Diehauser welcomed her with arms wide open while making sure that Lord Bael doesn't explode like a bomb. "Now that all the seats are occupied, shall we start with the matter in hand?"

"I agree, Emperor," Lord Agares nodded at his direction. Grateful that the Champion has the courage to intervene when things could get out of control. Even if he's the moderator of this chamber and his work is to keep an ambiance neutral and respectful, he wouldn't object the assistance of another House who shares the same point of view as him.

Lord Bael merely growled and tried to relax his tense muscles. "…We shall." Everyone stayed quiet, waiting for the Great King's next words. "The Chamber of Senators of the 72 Pillars is now in session."

And just like that, the atmosphere turned businesslike. "Now," Commenced Bael, resting his arms atop the table, fingers intertwined. "Senators of the Ars Goetia, a few days back, we discussed the allowance of children in the first, second and third grade to reconcile in the same hour of recess. For the sole purpose of conjoining them in the future and, through baby steps, rescuing our race from facing extinction. I wish to hear the thoughts of all the Heads of their respective Houses after witnessing such a change."

Lord Purson coughed, catching everyone's attention. "I have your answer, your excellence." He smiled. "We, the Senators, have sent out our Peerages to ask the opinions of each House. The results were beyond phenomenal."

Bael curled an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Demands of keeping it as a rule. A few already decided who to marry their offspring because of such an event floating over the skies and so on." Lord Asmoday replied, counting his fingers. "Honestly, this could be one of the most valued features here in our government."

"Indeed, it is…" The Great King hummed, bopping his chin in deep thought. "I have no authority on ordering the Senators to change or update the law in any way, it all lays in your hands, but remember, the Pillars are trusting you."

"There's no need to discuss it," Diehauser dismissed it. "The moment that we received positive feedback from the Elders is when we decided to give the green light. However, I've slightly modified the rule to suit everyone's tastes."

The black-haired devil laid his back on the throne, elbows over the armrest. "Go on…"

"Both Lord and Lady of the two involved Houses must be in agreement before offering their children's hand. That's all."

Lord Bael frowned, suspicious. Nonetheless, he accepted with a nod. "I see… then I presume that no one is against the Emperor's modification…?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"Good, now then…"

"Excuse me, your majesty," Zagan spoke, hand raised. "This has been bothering me for a while, but, shouldn't the Four Great Satans be here with us?"

Her innocent question was enough to prompt different reactions.

"Dear Maou, here we go again…" Agares sighed out, cleaning his glasses.

"…" Belial stared, silently agreeing with Seekvaira's father.

"Lady Zagan." Bael massaged his temple, brushing off the snickers from the other Senators. "Do you have _any_ idea how much political power the Maous have compared to _us_ , mostly my Housecarl?"

She pursed her lips and shook her head.

"…That's more than enough." The Great King growled, gesturing to Diehauser. "Emperor, please give her a brief explanation."

The Champion spared a glance at the thwarted Bael. He sighed. "In political power, compared to us? None. The Four Satans by definition are Devils who are our "leaders" in name only. Of course, their ranking is high amongst the Government of Ars Goetia. But elegant titles are not enough to surpass us. They're the inspiration for the future and old generation. Heroes that glimmered amidst the catastrophic Civil War between us, the Devils."

The Maous could make shit happen, sure, sure, but they needed the right people to do so. Each Satan obviously has their previous Clan watching over them. They just have to expand their name around the deepest part of the Underworld, not their epithet.

"Heroes? Isn't that the role for the Top 10 strongest Devils in the Rating Games?"

"Not before." Agares took the lead from here. "Back then, when Evil Pieces were finally approved, the Rating Games were a way to measure a Devil's strength which would reflect their social standing in the Underworld. Now that the sport has become so famous, all Devils have begun seeing the Top 10 rankers as heroes without capes."

 _"And also, an excellent method to recruit the future Satans."_ Agares mused. He'd discussed this with the Great King Zekram years before, sooner or later, the actual Maous are going to wither. It may take dozens of years, true, but it's better to be prepared for the unstoppable outcome.

The First Bael has his eyes set on the Four rankers as adequate Devils to watch over their race. Tannin and Rudiger had crossed Zekram's mind, but knowing full well the pride of Devils, they would disapprove granting a former Dragon King and a former Magician the blessing of becoming the next figureheads of the Underworld. It would be like an insult towards their kin.

"All in all, their title is just a way to prove their strength." The Champion drawled. "However, they also have a decent control involving the business of politics, but, unlike us, their power depends on the respect and love of different parties that could include those outside of the Pillars' government such as the various houses from the Extra Demons." He paused. "If we, somehow, ended up making a truce with Grigori, Heaven, the Youkai, and different Factions from many other realms, they could also abuse it. But those contacts are not as worthy as having a House from a Pillar watching over your back."

"So, they depend on great personal charm?" Zagan resumed it, earning a hum from the Champion. "I understand now. Thank you for clearing my mind, Emperor Belial."

"It's fine. Glad I could help."

"Now that we've stopped wasting our time on something foolish and useless… let us begin with the next subject."

Diehauser's chair squeaked once again as he'd leaned back and grunted, this is going to be a long day, good thing he's used to it.

* * *

The moment when Lord Bael dismissed everyone, Diehauser took this chance to disappear from the map immediately. Even when the other Senators decided to stop at an elegant restaurant which, of course, they offered the Emperor a seat with them, the Champion kindly refused their invitation and moved on.

Heavens he truly disliked that job. The sudden feeling of a chill crawling his spine every time he made his way towards his seat. He wasn't sure if he was getting this unwanted feeling from the absurdly cold atmosphere in the place, from its fancy, high-end decoration, or from something even deeper within its walls.

He couldn't help but feel astonished at the notion of how a person could spend their time in such a museum. He hated how it could make him feel wanted and homey, but at the same time get him to feel as if one small step out of line would have the local guards running after him with their spears waving wildly. It was a room of relaxation and peace, but also a place that threatened to cave in on you as soon as its order was disrupted.

But he's going to endure. The people of the Ars Goetia are willing to give a chunk of their trust to lay on Diehauser's shoulders, and he's not going to fail them.

 _"Months have passed, and the media have finally disappeared. Good."_ He was thankful that the media stopped following his steps every time he'd left the building. Since the fortunate case of his younger brother's awakening from his coffin, the news had spread faster than wildfire. How so? It's still unknown which is not surprising since the one who began spreading the announcement appeared as 'anonymous.'

The questions were the same. How Danhauser came back from the grave? Does a family member practice the arts of Necromancy? Or was the unfortunate death of the young Belial nothing but lies, just to appear in the newspaper and seek for fame? Diehauser, of course, had shoved the media away from his mind.

"Hey man, are you listening?" Diehauser shook his head, looking to his right to find the red eyes of his uncle, Malacoda, staring directly at him.

"Sorry, I was distracted," The Emperor apologized.

Malacoda shrugged. "Meh, no worries. That job of yours must be tiring, yeah? Especially when you have to listen to the words of Bael's lapdog."

The Emperor frowned. "Why do you always have to call Lord Bael that? You know he's doing his best to keep the Pillars balanced?"

Malacoda scoffed, arms folded. "Well, because he is without a single doubt, a lapdog. The _fifth_ puppet that the whole Bael Clan controls with him not knowing at all. Guess who the four other puppets are."

"Knowing you, I'll go with the Four Satans," Calcabrina answered from her seat, taking a sip of her tea. She faced Diehauser's Queen with a smile. "Like always, this drink is delicious, Gilles."

Gilles returned the smile and bowed.

" _Ding!_ Ding! _Ding!_ We have a winner here!" Calcabrina's brother sank deeper on the couch, chuckling. "It's funny because the dude gloats he's almighty and shit, but in truth, he's just another pawn in the game, _ha_!"

He's been alive for a long time. Enough to be a participant of the Civil War, funnily, and it only happened because the current Beelzebub created the Evil Pieces. The one who rules the Underworld is not Lord Bael. It's the whole Clan. The title of Lord Bael is nothing to be proud of. He's just the favorite doll of his relatives. He's the messenger and listener of the Bael Clan, nothing more.

The Four Great Maous are, to keep it brief, the strength of Bael.

"And what does that make us, then?" The Champion asked.

"The victims," Malacoda answered nonchalantly, shifting his arms over his neck. "But I'm not here to turn the atmosphere sour; I have a lot of _exciting_ news! From my brother."

Calcabrina blinked, putting her empty tea on the table. "Barbariccia?"

Malacoda grinned and winked at her. "Yep! The damn Grizzly brought me _interesting_ stuff! There are two different topics! Choose!"

"Just get to the point."

Malacoda pouted. " _Fine_. Grab yourselves a seat because this is going to be a rollercoaster!" He coughed into his fist, adding some suspense. "The Empire of the Tepes Clan _collapsed_!"

…

"…What?" Gilles was the first one to break from his state of shock. "Could we know… how?"

Ignoring the change of ambiance, Malacoda rubbed his hands enthusiastically, "Well…! From what I've heard, it was during the day, _eh_ , morning to be specific. A shit ton of vampires attacked the Fourth King of Tepes and another unnamed vampire, which Grizzly thinks may be his son, and a horde of bloodsuckers chased after the former King with pitchforks and torches."

"Incredible…" Diehauser gaped. "So, the prolonged war between Carmilla and Tepes concluded with the former taking the upper hand?"

"They acted smart, attacking in the morning when the sun is setting which is known as the archenemy of any vampire," Calcabrina frowned. "I'm tempted to ask, how did they survive the rays of the sun?"

"Either using a new magic spell, or they wore full armor during the invasion," Diehauser tossed his two cents.

"Nah man, they used sunscreen," Malacoda joked. "Jokes aside, though, like the three of you, I thought that Carmilla finally grew a backbone to attack the Tepes, but what blew me away was that the vampires involved were _males_."

"And the Carmilla side is known for outnumbering men by population," Diehauser clicked his tongue. "Troublesome."

"Perhaps they deposited their males around their territory?" Calcabrina suggested. "Is there something else you have as essential intel, brother?"

Malebranche scratched his neck with his tail. "Yeah, the massive gates of the Tepes Territory were intact during the invasion, and everyone knows that the first thing to receive collateral damage is the _entrance_."

"Then it is obvious," Gilles spoke, drawing everyone's attention. "Males fighting against the Tepes, the entrance was unharmed during the turmoil, it is evident that the Carmilla Faction has not lifted a finger during the devastation. No one passed the gates. The bloodshed began from inside with no help from outsiders at all."

Calcabrina gasped slightly, "Gilles, are you saying that…?"

"Yes, my Lady. The pieces fit accordingly. This was obviously a "Golpe de Estado" or how I prefer to call it: _A Coup d'état_ ," The Queen looked away from his fingernails. "It seems that they had had enough of their former governor, _heh_."

Evil Tail whistled, pointing a thumb at the Frenchman. "Yeah, I'm siding with Gil on this one."

"Why would they do that, though?" Diehauser inquired. "They already have great control over Romania, what else could they need?"

Everyone frowned, not a single clue reaching over their minds. It was a stupid move; now they are an easy target for the Female Vampires. There must be a reason for their revolution. Could it be that Gilles was wrong? And they actually had the help from intruders supporting over the shadows?

What just happened?

"Isn't the fourth King's strength equivalent to a Satan, too?" Calcabrina said after the brief silence. "He could've destroyed the traitors with a flick of his fingers."

"And he did," Malacoda replied, shrugging. "The problem here is that every time Tepes killed them, they would come back to _life_ , no matter how fatal the wound is."

"Necromancy?" Diehauser tried to guess.

"Nope. Necromancy is bringing the deceased back from the grave as undead."

"Aren't Vampires categorized as undead anyways?"

"Well, yeah, but they have an _awareness_ of their actions. With Necromancy, you bring only the rotten flesh back, not the spirit or soul. They're empty shells obeying their master."

"A _puppet_ would be the indicated word then," Gilles commented, earning a nod from him. "We are moving away from the subject here. How is that they can fool death itself and ignore the sunlight? Truly, I am starting to doubt that the creatures we are discussing could be categorized as vampires anymore."

"We still don't know the reason for the overthrow, either." Calcabrina bit her thumb.

Diehauser sighed. There's no point in going deeper on the subject. "Well, that's all the intel we have. We're just going to fry our brains out if we keep thinking about it."

Gilles nodded. "Indeed. I have a feeling that the world is going to change drastically. For the greater good or, the greater bad, I do not know, and that worries me even more."

Diehauser faced his uncle. "You said that you have two topics for us, right? What's the last one?"

Malacoda blinked. "Ah right. In a nutshell, my days of vacation are reaching an end; sooo your father wants Dan to come with—"

"No," Diehauser replied.

"Sorry man, but your father made it clear that he wants to see your brother."

"Then he can come here himself," Calcabrina answered. "I will _not_ let Danhauser take a step closer to that damned place. Not after what happened to him."

Evil Tail groaned, "That was an accident! He didn't know, and he didn't mean to do that with my nephew!" He slowly stood from his seat. "You two need to stop drawing him as a villain, because _he's not_."

The Emperor stared back at his uncle. "I won't let my brother stay in that city."

"He's not going to stay. He just wants to speak with his damn son, you know? The one that mysteriously came back from the dead."

"I don't trust him, uncle."

"You don't trust him because you fucked it up," Malacoda growled, annoyed. "Your father doesn't hate you, he hates what you did."

"Brother, stop," Calcabrina warned. "I won't let you talk to my son like that or else…!"

"Or else what sister? Are you going to attack me? We don't want that _dazzling_ and _well-kept_ hair of yours to fall off suddenly, eh?"

Lady Belial glared, defensively passing a hand through her long ebony hair.

"Look, Houser, you don't have the right to break the relationship between father and son, let the two of them enjoy each other's company for a day, heck, not even a day, an _hour_ is my bet. Then Dan's going to walk freely back to home. If you want, I'll keep an eye out for you."

Diehauser pursed his lips, glancing from his concerned mother to his silent Queen. Lacking enthusiasm, he nodded. "Fine, he can go, but I'll go, too."

Malacoda grinned approvingly. "Great! That way, you two can talk and patch things up!"

The Champion scoffed, not buying it, "If you say so."

Malebranche laid a hand on Belial's shoulder, squeezing it. "Relax. If it makes you feel better, I don't hate you; I think you did the right thing. It was worth it."

Calcabrina flinched.

Diehauser stared at his hand, before snorting. "Worth it? I doubt it." Pushing the hand away, he walked toward the doors, leaving the scene.

Malacoda heaved a sigh, arms behind his head. "Damn… you guys love to mix some drama in the soup, huh?"

"Malacoda, you need to talk with him." Calcabrina urged him, standing beside her brother. "I tried, but… he needs you."

Once again, Malacoda sighed. "Sorry, can't." He ignored her jolted expression. "Nothing I can do here. This is between them."

Lady Belial pursed her lips, facing the reincarnated Devil. "Gilles?"

The butler shot her a sad smile. "I am sorry, my Lady, but your brother is right. He needs to take the first step."

She shakily breathed out, rubbing her temples and slowly walked away from the room, followed by a worried Gilles.

"Don't you dare talk with him!" Her brother said from behind. "He needs to do this _alone_."

She growled and slammed the door shut.

* * *

"Achu!" Tobio sneezed.

"Bless you," Danhauser said.

Tobio grunted, "Whatever." Sniffing, he addressed the Devil in front of him, awkwardly shifting on his chair. "Let me get this straight. There is a Supernatural World…" He saw Danhauser nod. "Devils, Angels, Fallen Angels, and other mythological creatures are a thing…"

"Correct."

"… And I have something called a 'Sacred Gear' which is a powerful artifact that has unique abilities." He paused before adding. "And they were forged by God of the Bible?"

"You're starting to get it."

Tobio stared for a few seconds before chuckling dryly. "What a _big_ pile of _bullshit_." Slamming his hands on the table, he carefully lifted himself up, shaking his head in contained fury. "You attacked my friend and broke through my property just to tell me something… stupid? I should be calling the cops right now, what's your excuse?"

Danhauser raised a brow. He saw this reaction coming from miles away. Tobio's in denial, but Danhauser knows how to change his mind with a wave of his hand. He just needs to play his cards professionally. "I'm speaking the truth."

"Oh yeah?" The Japanese boy growled, storming away to pick up a phone. "Well, say that to the damn cops. Let's see how many laughs you'll earn."

Danhauser blinked at the threat. Half an hour has passed since Tobio nearly had a heart attack after seeing his best friend, Sae Toujou, knocked out on the arms of Belial. At first, he thought that she'd knocked on death's door. But after letting Ikuse press his fingers on her neck, he sighed with relief. After that, his blood pressure began to ease off. His expression, however, was camouflaged with anger, but he let the gray-haired devil explain the world hidden before his chocolate eyes.

He'd played this horribly wrong. It could have gone better. If only Sae had listened to his warning and walked towards the department side by side with Danhauser, then he wouldn't feel the blazing glares of Slash Dog. But of course, the girl had to be stubborn to the point where Belial had to knock her out and look like a criminal to anyone who was passing by. Thankfully, no one saw that.

"I'm not making this up, you know. I have evidence." Danhauser said calmly, watching Tobio crawling to the kitchen.

"Oh, and what would that be?" Tobio mocked over the counter, typing the police's phone number. "Are you going to play with a Ouija board and summon Satan?"

"Nope," Danhauser said, standing up and on the other side of the counter. "I'm going to do this."

And suddenly, a pair of pitch black wings emerged from the gray-haired Devil, grazing the apartment's roof and horrifying the human.

"…" Tobio froze up in place. Mouth wide open as he watched the bat-like wings sprouting from Belial's lower back, twitching at the sensation of light pouring over them.

"Do you believe me now?" Danhauser asked, mentally ordering his wings to disappear while shuddering at the sickening feeling.

Shakily, Tobio hanged the call, letting the cell phone fall roughly on the counter. He gulped. "W-What the hell are you?"

"I told you. I'm a Devil." Danhauser responded. "Don't worry, I'm not here to kill you nor your friend. You're both safe."

"T-Then what do you want?" Tobio breathed out, his arms shaking, anxiety once again filling his veins. "I-I don't have money or anything valuable in this house. I-I'm poor, okay? Don't hurt her… please."

Danhauser raised a hand, trying to calm him down. "I said relax. I have an offer for you."

"W-what offer?"

"First take deep breaths," Danhauser ordered, looking at his nervous form. "You sound like you're about to faint."

Tobio nodded and closed his eyes, albeit hesitantly. He began sucking chunks of air and blowing them out of his system, trying to sooth his altered heart. The way it beat, it was like it was about to explode and engulf the three of them in a violent whirlwind of flames. He's so fucking scared right now. Of all mythical creatures in the world, he had to come face to face with the asshole one, the Devil, the one that would absorb his soul faster than a vacuum cleaner, the bastard who promises things, but has his fingers always crossed.

 _"Why me? Why does a Devil want to make an offer with me?"_ Tobio thought, fists clenched. He's not worth the time of anyone. He's broke, his aunt, Ageha Ikuse, died, he wasn't a special snowflake amongst the community, he depended on Sae's assistance.

Unless…

 _"Is this because of that Sacred Gear thing? That's why he's here?"_ Slowly he opened his eyes, nodding reluctantly at his uninvited guest. "What's your offer?"

"In a nutshell, I want you to join me," Danhauser said, once again relaxing on his seat. "I want you to join my team."

Tobio frowned at his lack of explanation. "What do you mean by joining your team?"

"My Peerage," Danhauser replied, noticing Tobio's puzzled expression, he continued. "They give Devils something called Evil Pieces. They look like basic Chess Pieces; you use them to reincarnate people and creatures into Reincarnated Devils. Each piece has a unique ability."

"By reincarnating into a Devil, you mean turning into your species?"

"Yeah, you'll get your pair of wings, night vision, super strength and many other things," Danhauser responded, rolling his wrist.

"There must be a catch," Tobio dug his nails on the counter. "There's _always_ a catch."

Belial hummed. "There is. Once you'd turned into a Devil, your greatest enemy will be anything related to the church." He trailed off, letting his words sink in Tobio's brain. "And you'll become the enemy of Angels and Fallen Angels."

The Longinus User winced. "That… that doesn't sound good."

"But don't worry. There hasn't been a commotion between the Three Factions; if one of them attacks, they will start a war. No one wants a war."

"I-I see…" Tobio murmured, his eyes wandering to the unconscious girl, his veins suddenly flared with anger. "Why'd you knock her out?"

"Hmm?" Danhauser followed his gaze. "Ah, I saved her life."

"How does knocking an innocent person out cold save her?" Tobio demanded, rubbing his sick nose firmly.

Danhauser laid out deeper on the chair, ignoring Tobio's harshness blending with his voice. "That school vacation of yours, it's a trap."

The brunette blinked, twice. "A trap?" He parroted, earning a small nod. "How do you know it's a trap?"

 _"Because this world is a Light Novel, and I've read it enough to know when shit's going to hit the fan,"_ Danhauser grunted. "I have contacts, they warned me about unknown figures targeting your school, there's a possibility that they're going to kidnap the students and teachers when they set sail on the Luxury Liner."

Of course, he went for the lie. He couldn't tell the Slash Dog that he came from a world where Tobio's world is fictitious, and the sole purpose is to keep the readers at the corner of their seats, gaping and begging for the next update to come out soon. Unfortunately, the novelist, Ishibumi, stopped working on it after witnessing the lack of popularity.

"…Y-You're lying." The boy shook his trembling head in refusal. "You're just making this up, aren't you?"

"I'm afraid not."

After hearing that, Tobio didn't waste time on letting his fingers wrap themselves over the phone. Thumb's instinctively searching for the contacts. Unfortunately, his device quickly left his grasp.

"What are you doing?!" Tobio snapped, turning to Danhauser. "I need to warn them!"

The Devil perked up from the phone, curling an eyebrow at the brunette's shouting. "I'm sorry but, notifying your friends won't work. They're not going to believe a single word you say. You're a teenager, they'll take it as a sick joke coming from your mouth. Just remember how you acted when I told you everything."

"Then you tell _them_!" Tobio insisted, gesturing at the mobile in his hand. "If they hear it coming from another voice then perhaps they'll believe it."

"Again. You were stubborn when I explained the supernatural world to you, and I only convinced you when I showed you my wings. I can't."

"Then what? Should I just lie on my ass here while my friends are going to face danger from a terrorist attack?!"

Danhauser's face softened, "I'm so sorry, Tobio."

…

"I can't believe it…" Tobio groaned, rubbing his face, elbows above the table. "This is just… a fucking nightmare. C-Can't we at least call the police?"

"I doubt they're going to be useful," Danhauser admitted, setting the phone on the furniture. "And we don't know when it's going to happen, either. I just know they're going to act according to their plan."

He once again faced the crushed human, frowning. _"I'm here to recruit him, but it seems we have just flown away from the subject, and the way he's acting, it's going to be more complicated, how unlucky."_

"Maybe… maybe it's not going to happen?" Tobio tried being optimistic, but his voice betrayed him. "Maybe your contacts lied to you…"

"We are just walking in circles." Danhauser interrupted him, sliding a hand inside his pocket. "I came here for a reason, but seeing you act like this makes me think it's not going to work, and you still appear to be ignorant of your classmates' fate. Take this."

The Longinus User intuitively looked up, spotting a small piece of paper between Belial's fingers. "What's that?"

"A flyer. Use it to summon me," Danhauser explained. "Go on, take it."

"I don't know how to use it," Tobio said, snatching it from Danhauser's grasp. "And why would I summon you anyways?"

The gray Devil merely pointed a thumb behind his shoulder. "Your friend knows, ask her how or let her do it. And trust me, you'll summon me once again because you have _a lot_ of questions flying over your head."

"…" The brunette clenched his fist around the paper. He's right; he still needs to know a lot of things. How does this bastard know about his grandmother? Does he know about his family tree, his parents?

 _"Maybe, he knows what happened to mom and dad…"_ Tobio wished, since the day he was born, the face of his father and mother never materialized in his thoughts, he'd never met them either, not even a name to help him solve his case. He doesn't know why, but his grandmother knew, and she never told him about them. She tried to dismiss the topic, but it only made him curious. Unfortunately, Ageha Ikuse took that secret with her when she kicked the bucket.

"Why can't you answer my questions now?" The Japanese boy asked. "Are you in a hurry or what?"

"This is too much information to handle," Danhauser replied, summoning a portal under his feet. "And yes, I have other matters to attend to, plus I don't want to spend the whole day answering questions without receiving something _valuable_ in return."

Tobio suddenly felt a glow coming from the gray circle beneath the Devil, forcing him to protect his eyes with his arm, he just listened to Danhauser's voice. "If I were you, I'd stay away from the school for good measure; the same hint goes for your friend, Sae. Keep an eye out on the news and the internet while you're here. You have _one_ week to decide. Take care."

"Wait!" The glow throbbed and pulsed onto his skin and when it touched him, as fast as lightening the throbbing attacked him, but suddenly, the light waned, and the caster disappeared.

Slowly lowering his limb, he looked around the room to see if there were any alterations to his cave. Seeing none, he sighed. Too much happened in a matter of minutes. He needed to think about all this, alone.

His eyes drifted to the unconscious girl, then to the television. His words once again flashing on his mind. Is he speaking the truth? Or is he just lying? But why would he lie?

"Only one way to find out…" Tobio swallowed, spotting the remote control and turning on the machine. "Who would've thought that I would start watching the _damn_ news?"

* * *

Danhauser jumped far away from the battlefield, taking a deep breath and brushing off the sweat hanging over his brow. He stared through the remaining parts of something that used to be called a "forest." Now, it looks like another Civil War had transpired behind the Mansion, with trees lying down, some of them cut in half, others scorched by flames, and printed on the ground were huge paw prints, the size scaling to one of a dragon.

This section wasn't a forest anymore. It was a damn _wasteland._

Hearing the roar of a nearby beast, he maneuvered his way towards the source of the sound, using the footprints as guidance, slowly seeing more chaos than before as he stuck to following the same route.

When he reached his destination, his chest slightly puffed up at the scene, proudness surrounding his growing stature.

Bova and Siegfried.

He'd offered that together, they could sharpen their abilities by training to achieve greatness and be prepared for the harsh future that stands on the corner. Unfortunately, since Danhauser didn't have any skills in the arts of healing, their training must be treated with caution. He didn't want to hear that his Knight broke a leg because of Bova's restless assaults.

He must admit, they were incredible. Both sticking with a different method of fighting. Beautiful is the indicated word.

Siegfried jumped just in time to avoid another tree rolling at his figure and immediately, he flew towards the gigantic dragon. The former Exorcist actually knows how to look elegant while wielding not two swords, but _three_ of them. It was by far way more different than the time that he'd got beaten by Gilles de Rais. Maybe he'd learned his lesson after all. He could cut any creature with ease.

Unfortunately, Bova was not a creature easy to slice off, especially if the weapon doesn't have any dragon slaying attributes melted on the blade. The dragon's scales were as hard as diamond. Siegfried's attacks didn't seem to faze him at all; he'd just shrug them off and rush at the swordsman like a demented gorilla.

Not only that, but Bova's punches are as hard as a _wrecking ball_. Danhauser is captivated in knowing how his offensive and defensive capabilities are going to increase by absorbing a Rook Piece. He's going to be worse than a fucking tank, that's a given.

Thankfully, Siegfried can stay toe-to-toe with Tannin's son. The Hero descendant easily outruns him, if Danhauser's analysis is correct. The Exorcist would roll away from the punch and slash his buffed legs faster than air, constantly aiming for the same spots to cripple the dragon while dodging the threatening blows.

Siegfried is a glass cannon. Meanwhile, Bova is a juggernaut.

 _"Time to put an end to this."_ Danhauser smiled slightly. Activating the well of power hiding in the deepest part of his spirit to lend him waves of demonic energy. Responding to his pleas, four gray circles with his housecarl's emblems suspended in mid-air prepared to assist their summoner. From those ripples, the tips of swords and spears poked out, all the weapons forged from the same raw and demonic essence.

 _"Owe you one, Gilgamesh,"_ Danhauser chuckled, excitement crawling up his spine. Just because he'd been catapulted into a Light Novel, doesn't mean that he's forgotten the Anime and Light Novels he'd seen in his previous life.

Yes. Danhauser built his Gate of Babylon, but unlike the King of Heroes, he's not going to glue himself to the floor while firing his infinite ammunition at his foe, he's trying to find a way to make the circles follow him from _behind_ while _attacking_. It wasn't that difficult to make, especially when he already knew how to shoot demonic powers, he just needed to increase the size of his creation to obtain greatness. Unfortunately, right now he could only make four circles watch over him.

"Fire," Obeying Belial's command, the four demonic circles launched their projectiles with the speed of bullets, the dozen of swords and spears descending directly at the two distracted pair.

Siegfried and Bova stopped, sensing a chunk of demonic energy flying towards them. Immediately, Siegfried jumped away from the dragon, dancing and slashing to avoid the attacks of his master.

At the same time, Bova lifted an arm to protect his eyes from the sharp constructions, letting his healthy body absorb all the assaults, grinning when he'd discovered the source of power.

His creations fired one at a time. He was amazed by the progress he'd made so far. Back then, he could just make demonic bullets and shoot them from his index finger, now, he could summon them with magic circles and shoot whatever reached his mind, and when they'd reached something solid, they would explode. Indeed, he urgently needs to learn Elemental Magic for the sake of adding more strength to his creations. His Belial trait, Worthlessness, meshes excellently too.

With a snap of his fingers, the four portals vanished. That's the minimal he could make without wasting his reserves of demonic power, but still, by using that ability, he felt relatively empty. As time goes on, Danhauser is going to make more than ten portals and let this blessing appear more often.

"Training's over, guys," Danhauser called, watching how Siegfried and Bova made their way towards him. "That was awesome, good work."

"Awesome? You're wrong. It was epic." Bova punched his palm, grinning. "I could feel my blood begging for more! We should do this way more often!"

"I agree," Siegfried nodded, cleaning his face from the accumulated sweat he'd earned. "While it was exhausting, it had a flavor of excitement. I don't know why."

Danhauser raised a brow. "Maybe it's because you had the chance to spar with, I don't know, a _dragon_?"

Siegfried rolled his eyes, smiling. "True, also, a Devil."

Belial's brow stretched more. Slowly, they commenced the short travel towards the Belial Castle. Bova, and Siegfried standing on his left and right respectively. "Wait you've never fought a Devil before?"

The silver-haired boy shook his head. "Unless you count Stray Devils as Pure-Blooded, then no." He folded his arms. "Normally, we tend to avoid problems with them, including the Fallen Angels, unless they're trespassing on an Angel's territory, then yes, we are allowed to slay them."

"If you found one on neutral ground, I presume none of you can engage in combat?" He merely received a "no" coming from him. "What other creatures have you slain before turning into a Devil?"

Siegfried flashed him a small smirk. " _Well_ glad you asked. My slaying streak encompasses Stray Devils, Ghouls, Vampires, Werewolves, Basilisks, Banshees and a _Nuckleavee_. The last one I needed assistance, but I assure you, that is the truth, and nothing but the truth."

Danhauser rubbed his sore shoulder. "I believe you."

Bova frowned, "On that list of yours, there wouldn't be a dragon, right?"

Siegfried copied his frown, "No…? Why the sudden question?"

"You smell like a dragon because you have the Sacred Gear, Twice Critical," Bova's frown sank deeper, "But you also smell like the blood of my race, have you been involved in a fight against my kin?"

"Ah, so that's the issue," Siegfried heaved a sigh. "Put your mind at rest, Bova. The reason why I'm giving that scent may be because of her, Gram."

"Her? Your mate was a dragon, and therefore, you killed her?"

"Gram is a demonic sword, Bova," Danhauser answered. "It has dragon slaying abilities imbued."

"Ah, I understand then," Bova nodded at Siegfried. "Sorry for judging you silently, your aroma made me wary of you. I hope you don't plan on using _her_ against innocent dragons."

"As long as they don't lunge at me, then there's nothing to worry about."

…

"You've got impressive sword skills, Exorcist. I rarely see anyone with your level of ability." He turned to Danhauser. "Likewise, I still remember when you could barely summon barriers and bullets infused with demonic energy. Time surely flies."

Danhauser merely patted his arm in gratitude.

"I've always held back a little when I used my swordplay on living targets. Fear of hurting someone, I guess." Siegfried's eyes darkened. "After what I'd heard of the tribe, I'm not holding back anymore, not against the enemy, not against anyone."

"Hey, did you always use Gram or only if the opponent was worthy?" Danhauser asked instantly, trying to change the grim mood.

"Only if the opponent was worthy, which, unfortunately, there weren't very many worthy opponents back in those times." Siegfried clicked his tongue. "I only used it once, and that was to feel more connected to the sword."

"Connected to the sword?"

"Yes. In case you didn't know, Gram is a double-edged sword in my grasp." Siegfried began, noticing that they were getting closer to the manor. "Since I have a Sacred Gear that is a Dragon-Type Tier… I can't use it while I'm feeding off the effects of Twice Critical. It's either a boost in power or using the Demonic Sword; there's no way I'll use the two at the same time."

Bova grunted. "Normally, anything that isn't constantly challenged grows weak."

And just like that, silence fell for the teenagers as they kept reaching for the castle, the two feeling awkward while in Bova's case, the atmosphere flew over his head.

* * *

Four days have passed since the appearance of an unimaginable creature outside of his apartment's entrance. Since that day, he didn't know if it was a dream or an illusion that popped out as a new symptom because of his annoying disease. Even then, that memory still left a huge scar, a wound that Tobio is still clinging to for dear life.

He remembers each word coming from the Devil's mouth, each emotion that controlled Tobio's body effortlessly. Every time he'd heard a different dark topic of the gray-haired demon, he would mentally scoff at the waste of time. But that sooner stopped when he saw that no lies left his lips, after observing with his own chocolate eyes the pair of dark wings springing from his spine, it reminded him of the night itself.

That's when he knew that, during that day, his life as Tobio Ikuse, human, a student of Ryoukuu High School, reached its bottom line.

A new tale began to unfold on Tobio's point of view, an adventure to the unknown catacombs, a story where Tobio Ikuse will slowly, hesitantly, and timidly embrace his moniker as the underdog, the Slash Dog of… _who?_

 **"School Trip of approximately ten days turned into a nightmare!"**

 **"Luxury liner destroyed in the middle of the ocean!"**

 **"The Hawaiian Islands cursed the 232 missing students!"**

They didn't stop. They just _didn't_ stop.

Tobio stood in the middle of the room; all light bulbs turned off, leaving the whole room darkened. If it weren't for the television, who was fighting against the dull darkness to keep the habitation bright with its meek light, then the brunette would be cradled by its musky surroundings.

His hand trembled, slowly becoming difficult to hold the remote control around his sweaty fingers, the index finger robotically pressed a button softly to jump to the next channel, which didn't have any difference from the previous ones. His empty eyes glued on the screen.

The TV showed to the two guests a poorly recorded video tape exhibiting the never-ending ocean from the skies, its beautiful blue color mixed with the silvery sand completely ignored by the audience, all the eyes concentrated on the vehicle that's _struggling_ to keep floating around the crystal clear liquid.

A ship. The Luxury Liner that was supposed to circle the Heavenly of Aloha was now getting eaten by the ocean. The majority of the luxury liner's hull is sinking into the sea while bestowing smoke to the newcomers. Leaving a disturbing image that the media is abusing right this instant.

"T-Tobio," He heard a sniff, followed by a tug of his shirt, he let the weak mumble continue. "I-I-It's everywhere! Even on the internet! T-Their names, their pictures…e-everything!"

Tobio's mouth half opened, but only a short, dry, and empty gasp tugged his lips. The new's worldwide, a mine of pure and exquisite gold for the media, this was worse than the Tragedy of the Titanic. The professionals haven't found bodies, yet. Not even a single drop of blood stained on the floors or the walls, just destruction.

Finally, Tobio gulped. "S-Sae." He started, his hand quickly sinking inside his pocket, retrieving a familiar object gifted by the Devil. "U-use it. Summon him."

Sae gasped slightly, ignoring the reporter inside the stupid box. "B-but—!"

"Do it, Sae."

The girl nodded, mentally objecting with his plan, but she was too tired to break into a discussion with her childhood friend.

She's. So. Fucking. Tired.

Sae slowly strolled to the kitchen, taking a knife and by using the tip of the sharp tool, she poked her thumb, wincing at the blood tingling out from her new shaped wound.

"I hope you know what're you doing, Tobio." Sae prayed, passing her bloodied thumb over the flyer, leaving a blurry trace of crimson liquid under the piece of paper.

It took minutes to receive a signal coming from the flyer. Looking to the side to protect her eyes from the incoming and mighty light, she pursed her lips when the gray light faded, replaced by a familiar figure. The bastard that lied to her face, the one that knocked her out cold.

She fucking hates him.

"Hey there," She heard his voice, greeting so casually, and it made her clench her teeth. "Are we in your house or…?"

"Tobio's outside the kitchen." That's all the brunette said, looking down, not daring to meet his gray eyes. "Follow me."

She didn't wait to hear his words; she merely shoved past him, his gaze following her small figure, making her shudder from the inside. The steps of the Devil soon began to emit sounds, proving that he listened to her innocent plea.

"I brought him, Tobio," Sae breathed out, slumping on the couch while staring at the roof, tears slowly threatening to break free. It hurts her so much.

"So you finally decided?" Danhauser went directly to the point, watching how the girl locked herself in her inner world.

"…" Tobio only motioned to the television, just in time to where the news decided to showcase the names of the passengers with a photo, which the respective parents donated in hopes of finding them alive on the other side of the world, and of course, the parents' phone number.

After observing the third teenager emerging on the screen, Danhauser sighed and faced Tobio. "Now, do you think it's still a lie?"

"No," Tobio shook his head, rubbing his temples to contain any sort of migraine knocking on his skull.

"Why did you summon me, Tobio?" Danhauser asked, studying him from head to toes, "Just to show me something that I knew was going to happen?"

"Multiple reasons," Tobio replied, standing up from his seat, a shaky sigh, flying from his lips. "One of them is to know my lineage. You knew about my grandmother, so maybe you went deeper and discovered other relatives that I haven't heard of."

"…" Danhauser kept his mouth shut, letting Tobio continue with his babbling. He wasn't wrong, though, Tobio Ikuse is a descendant of one of the Five Principals Clans, the Himejima, making him a cousin of Rias' Queen, Akeno Himejima, and another girl called Suzaku Himejima. Of course, the teenager doesn't know about his bloodline, that's all thanks to Ageha, who, for unexplained reasons, used a Buddha seal to lock Tobio's Sacred Gear and important parts of his memories.

"But right now, I don't care about that," Tobio said, breaking Danhauser from his train of thoughts. "There's something more important, something that with your help, I can attain."

The gray-haired Devil glanced at Sae, scoring a sharp glare from the girl. Folding his arms, he faced Tobio once again. "What would that be?"

Slash Dog kneeled directly on the ground, making sure his forehead was pressed on the floor, perplexing the two teenagers.

"T-Tobio! What are you doing?!" Sae lifted herself up from her seat, staring wide-eyed at her childhood friend.

Tobio ignored her. "I need your help with saving my friends, the teachers, from those _bastards_." He spat, never looking up to meet Danhauser's eyes. "With your help and your contacts, we can rescue them. I beg you: _please_ help me."

Danhauser looked at Tobio on his knees and prostrated himself before him; this was the famous Dogeza, used in modern Japanese culture to show your profound apology for troubling a person and to express the desire for a favor from said person.

His expression softened. Don't get confused, Danhauser knew that something like this was bound to happen. It was just matter of time for Tobio to ask for his aid in this reckless mission. The human before him has lost everything. The loving and tender embrace of his mother. The encouragement and comfort of his father. The wisdom and guidance of his grandmother.

And now? The friendship and happiness of his perished friends, shattered by a single swipe of the Supernatural World.

"…Your heart is heroic, Tobio. After learning about a terrorist group that could kill you, you still want to go out there and save them? Impressive." Danhauser praised, noticing how finally the teenager looked up, his eyes gleaming with hope. "But I'm afraid that I cannot do that. I' m _not_ a hero and I will not risk my life to save people that I don't know at all."

To his surprise, a chuckle slipped from Tobio's mouth, a sad smile breaking on his face. "Yes, I saw that coming from far away."

"We're teenagers," Danhauser ignored him. "You don't even know how to summon your Sacred Gear. Sae doesn't know how to defend herself. You know the worst part? Whoever did this, had it all planned, he knew how many students were supposed to set sail on the ship, and when he finds out that there are two or more missing students…"

Sae covered her mouth, muffling her gasp. "Oh no… They'll come here to hunt us down…"

"Exactly, it could be tomorrow, it could take a few weeks or even months, but sure as hell they'll finish their mission with flying colors." He lowered his voice. "Hence the reason for my being here."

Luckily, Tobio heard it. "Are you going to protect us?"

"Depends on your answer," Danhauser replied, a hand sneaking inside his pocket. "It's a pity that you forgot the reason why I gave you that flyer to invoke me, Tobio. Unlucky."

Tobio frowned, trying to recall their previous conversation, then his eyes widened, "You want to recruit me…"

"So, you do remember," Danhauser muttered, satisfied. "Then let's make it brief. If you join me, I'll give you shelter, a place for you to train, food, a warm bed, money, and flyers so you could lend a few to Sae to make contracts with her. That way, you don't have to leave her behind. Even if you've lost almost everything, there's something that you can protect."

The brunette scoffed, standing up and facing the Devil with a glare. "Protect? Protect _what_ , exactly? I lost everything!"

"…"Danhauser slipped his mouth shut, his eyes slowly wandering at his left flank, stopping when he spotted his target.

Tobio followed his fixed stare.

 _"Sae…"_ He clenched his fists, his childhood friend stared back at him, tears already ruining her gorgeous face, waiting for his response.

She's the only person he has in his life.

"If you say yes, then everything I offered is going to become real." He heard his voice, Tobio looked down to his feet. "If your answer is no, then I'll just wash my hands and leave. Just be warned, whoever did this will come here to capture the survivors, and I will _not_ be there to assist you. You'll be on your _own_."

…

"I want to know one thing before I answer," Tobio turned back to meet Belial's eyes. "You promise me I'll become strong?"

"I will not promise a thing," Danhauser said, finally, taking a hold of the object in his pocket. A Knight Piece. "You should ask that question to Tobio Ikuse, not me. Does Tobio vow to become strong? To protect everything that he holds dear?"

The Longinus User stared at the Chess Piece twirled around his fingers, an Evil Piece. Finally, he looked up to his eyes, nodding firmly. "Yes. I promise to become strong, _and_ I accept joining your group, boss."

"Tobio… a-are you sure about this?" His childhood friend, Sae, asked, putting a palm on his arm. "W-we don't know _anything_ about him, not even his name…"

"Ah, right," Danhauser hummed, patting his chin with his index finger. "I never told you my real identity. It was on purpose, just to keep myself somewhat safe." He cleared his throat. "My name is Danhauser Belial, pleased to meet you two. Call me Dan."

The two brunettes grunted.

"I'm _so_ content on meeting two cheerful souls."

Tobio overlooked his dry comment, "What should we do, now?"

"Now? Get away from the High School, and find another academy." Danhauser responded, nonchalantly tossing Tobio the mutated Piece. "The media is going to fly right towards the School gates and fill you guys with a lot of questions. Also, Sae, I suggest you visit your parents, assuming that you've slept here with Tobio since I've left."

" _You sly dog, Tobio,"_ Danhauser snorted from his nose at the words flying over his brain.

The girl blinked, slapping her forehead. "R-Right! Perhaps they believe that I was involved in the ship attack!"

"Before you go, I wish to talk with you. Privately." Danhauser nodded to Tobio's room. "You have my word that I won't hurt you."

The girl folded her arms, eyeing the Devil distrustfully. Finally, she huffed and walked to the room. "Make it quick."

Danhauser heaved a sigh, scratching his hair. "She _really_ hates my guts."

Tobio scoffed, "No shit."

"Oh well, I can't please everybody," Danhauser shrugged and walked to the room, patting Tobio on the back. "Welcome to the team, by the way."

Tobio merely nodded, throwing the Knight Piece into the air and watching how it fell back to his palm, hearing how Danhauser closed the door softly. "So, this is my new life, huh? Was it worth it? Or am I just throwing my humanity away like a complete moron?"

* * *

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Xuan: Yes, Dan will have a harem. Thanks for reviewing!**

 **Lurker: Ya se verdad?** **La novela Slash Dog merece ser reconocida, oi que Ishibumi va a subarla una vez mas, pero mejorada. Si, un Issei que es parte de la faccion de los angeles suena interesante, pero, Dan no se quedara con los brazos cruzados, el va a hacer algo al respecto.** **Saludos!**

 **Guest: Yes, Dan comes from a world with logic, and he's sent in a world where logic jumped out of the window, why follow logic when the world he's trapped now doesn't follow that rule? Plus Issei isn't a pervert here, yet, he hasn't met the geezer that brought him to perversion. Thanks for reviewing!**

…

 **There. The chapter's done! Here, I wanted to go a little deeper into the politics, since Danhauser comes from a family involved on the latter, then the least I could do is show you some of it. Trust me; we'll be seeing more of it in future chapters with Diehauser's point of view.**

 **And yes, this is the part where the Kingdom of Tepes met its downfall, meaning that Gasper is already within the grasp of Rias, it's a way of showing you on what part of the story we are.**

 **And Tobio joined the crew! Yay!**

 **Also, I have a beta reader. Yay!**

 **Have you guys seen the wiki of the Hero Faction? It has grown quite a bit, one of them took me by surprise.**

 **I'll be honest with you guys. The next chapters I'm going to have so** _ **much**_ **fun writing them, you'll have to wait to see why.**

 **Well, that's all I have to say, see you in the next chapter! Cheers!**

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Pater R.R.C.**


	10. Pater RRC

**Chapter** **10: Pater R.R.C.**

* * *

 _He saw her._

 _She looked around her middle twenties. Her rich features glistening more than the crowd of strangers, with European characteristics if his hypothesis was correct. Which it obviously was, since he's been wandering around earth since the 15th century._

 _She loves company. Unfortunately, the woman just sat alone at the bar counter, a palm under her chin, her finger tracing circles in the corner of her half empty cup of alcohol._

 _Even if her face was distorted by the emotions of disinterest, for him, it didn't ruin her unmatchable features._

 _There weren't words to describe her beauty. Her beauty would refresh the eyes of any man like a crystal-clear pool of water would to a desert wanderer._

 _He left the Underworld to celebrate his ascent in society. He was turning into a celebrity amongst the Devils, especially those of low and middle-class ranking. A good friend of his had offered him to start a party at his manor, but he kindly declined. He would prefer to count the clouds or watch the grass grow._

 _Or so he thought. He doesn't know how he suddenly appeared inside a bar. It was loud. He hates loudness. It was full of people, happy, drunk and unconscious. He hates to be surrounded by unknown faces, especially those without manners. He just stood there, like a nail stuck in a chunk of wood._

 _Heavens. This generation truly has a_ horrible _taste in music._

 _But by a miracle, he found a reason to endure this annoying building. He found_ her _._

 _He slowly approached her. Timid steps muffled by the scandalous music. He looked at different places every time the woman shot a wary glance at his direction. She, however, decided to play his game._

 _He's so nervous. This is a different age for him, and he still can't grasp the culture of these youngsters. He was the old geezer of this room, yet, his appearance screamed nobility around the disco, and he looks like someone in his early thirties. It's the curse of being a Reincarnated Devil._

 _How should he greet a new face? Handshake? Kiss the back of her hand? Bow?_

 _Doesn't matter. He decided to pave his own way._

 _"You're beautiful," he said gently._

 _The flattered woman blinked, caught off guard, before chuckling. It made his skin crawl in a good way. "Smooth,"_

 _He didn't respond back. Her voice was beautiful,_ heavenly _, like listening to the serenades of an angel._

 _"You're not from here, are you?" The woman stated, eyeing his way of dressing, "Those clothes of yours, I haven't seen them before. They don't mix in a place like this either, are you from a wealthy family perhaps?"_

 _He ignored her voice laced with amusement, "I'm afraid not,"_

 _The corners of her mouth stretched, "Nervous much?" She didn't wait for his response. She spun around to face the silver-haired man properly. "You look like someone who can hold a drink."_

 _"Pardon me?"_

 _She flagged down the bartender, "By the way, what's your name?"_

 _"…" He silently took a seat beside the alluring female to his right. Surprised at how this conversation went. "My name?" He repeated, his voice intertwined with confusion._

 _The woman rolled her eyes, the smile still portrayed on her face, "Yes you goofball."_

 _Nodding in gratitude at the barkeeper, he grabbed the freezing glass and took a sip, shuddering at the sensation of the strong liquid running down his throat. It was a pity they didn't serve wine here. He finally answered, "My name is…"_

* * *

"Are we there yet?" The chestnut girl asked, impatient.

"Not yet, my angel." Touji smiled after seeing his daughter pout, giving her hand a small squeeze. "We're getting there, just be patient, alright?"

"Fine…" Irina reluctantly agreed, jumping away from each crack she saw disfiguring the pavement, a cheap way to distract herself from boredom.

Looking away from his pride and joy, the Exorcist frowned, glancing up to meet with the first character of the celestial alphabet. The full moon glared down at their diminutive presence with her gentle light.

Touji sighed. He remembered that day when he'd met with that gray-haired Devil. He never knew that a teenager of hell would wander around the public park of Kuoh. When he saw him with his own purple eyes, he was somewhat surprised, and he was honestly going to leave him hanging around, and mind his own business.

But when he'd noticed that Belial was awkwardly approaching Hyoudou, then he knew something was strange. He'd promptly invoked his role as an Exorcist, ordering his squad to stay in the dark while he advanced nearer to the bewildered target. He'd won the fight that day, and boy, a huge reward waited for his efforts.

There's the slight chance that Issei Hyoudou carries a Longinus Sacred Gear inside his soul. When the Devil had left with his relative, he'd contacted their commander, or how he prefers to call her, their Saint. He'd received approval from her, and just like that, his plan bloomed into action.

"Note to self, ask for Masaomi's progress after ending this visit," The chestnut-haired man nodded firmly, he'd sent one of his Exorcists to keep an eye on the headmistress of Kuoh long ago, and thus far, he hasn't heard any dangerous moves coming from the gray-haired Devil. So far so good. But he couldn't lay his guard down.

 _"Poor children,"_ Touji thought, after accidentally turning on the television. The flat screen was conveniently on the news, showing off the unfortunate case of the missing students of Ryoukuu high school. The worst part is that there are no clues that could benefit the professionals on moving on the second phase, they're stuck on the first step, and it's unlikely that they'll ever move forward, "I hope the Lord helps them."

He lifted his gaze upwards once again, distracting himself by watching the piled-up stars, twinkling and dazzling across the polar night, like scattered moon dust in the sky. He was worried that his plan would splinter like wood. He'd been studying his script for this moment—he'd tried to guess the excuses and question coming from the couple.

"Here we are!" Irina cheered, jumping from her spot excitedly, breaking Touji from his trance. "Issei! Issei!"

"Irina keep your voice down," Her father scolded lightly, "Some people are sleeping at this hour."

Irina looked down, "Sorry."

Caressing her hair to comfort her, he lifted his other hand and softly knocked on the door, waiting for an answer inside the house.

Touji pursed his lips, "Are they sleeping already?" He hoped not.

Irina peeked at the window, noticing the curtains trying to hide the light. "Nope! They're still awake! The lights are on! Try again!"

Touji hummed, once again knocking. "Hello? Mrs. and Mr. Hyoudou? Are you both awake? Hello?"

"Daddy! Keep your voice down!" Irina chided her father. "You're going to wake up the neighbors!"

Touji winced, "I'm sorry, sweetie."

Irina smiled, patting her father's leg, "It's okay."

Suddenly, they heard the door being unlocked, making Touji sigh with relief while Irina squealed happily.

The door opened, showing a male and a female, both of them carrying natural brown hair and wrinkles around their faces, proof that they're adults and a married couple living on these streets for who knows how long.

They're an average family unknowingly raising a son that has the capabilities of killing a God.

"Mr. Shidou?" Issei's mother uttered, surprised at seeing him at this hour. "Is something wrong?"

Touji smiled at her confusion. "Good Evening, Mrs. and Mr. Hyoudou." He offered a small wave, followed by his daughter. "Nothing's wrong. I know that my visit must take the both of you by surprise, especially when the moon is already in the sky. I just wanted to discuss something with you… If it's not too much to ask."

The coupled shared a look, before addressing their unexpected guest. "Of course not! Please, come in." The brunettes moved aside, allowing entrance to the Chestnut-haired family into their humble house.

The girl didn't waste her time. Giggling, she rushed into the room and jumped towards the stairs, her voice calling the name of her first best friend, not even taking her shoes off and leaving them at the entrance.

"Irina!" Touji called out desperately, seeing the girl ignoring his voice he faced the couple and bowed, embarrassed. "I… apologize for my daughter's antics. She rarely acts like this in other people's houses."

To his surprise, the Hyoudou family laughed at his concern, "Everything's fine. There's nothing more beautiful than seeing the smiles of children."

Touji sighed, relieved, followed by a soft smile, "I couldn't agree more with you, Mr. Hyoudou," He cleared his throat, nodding at the table, "It wouldn't be a bother if we take a seat while we go further with the conversation? I've been walking for too long, and keeping Irina in place is tiring."

Mr. Hyoudou chuckled, "We don't mind," He faced his wife, "Dear, would you mind serving some food for our guest? He must be hungry after that long walk."

"Right away!"

"Please, don't," Touji politely refused, listening to the suppressed noise coming from the second floor, "I'll not be staying here for too long. This should take around ten minutes. Fifteen if questions are going to be asked during the talk."

"At least let me pour you some tea, Mr. Shidou," Ignoring his protests, the woman bolted towards the kitchen's doors, "Meanwhile you two can go ahead and talk!"

"Well, you heard her," Issei's father said, dropping to his seat with a yawn, "I guess this is important? That would explain you visiting so late."

"Right as rain," Touji said, carefully sitting on another chair, fingers intertwined together, "I don't wish to waste your time, so I'll make this as quick as possible."

The bespectacled man raised a brow, but he chose to stay quiet, letting the Exorcist fill all the holes.

"My daughter, Irina, and my wife are leaving Kuoh," Touji began, watching how the eyes of the brunette slowly widened, "They're departing for England to start a new life from there, and my princess is no longer going to attend your son's school. There's a slight chance that she's never coming back and to Japan."

Before he could reply, the doors opened, revealing Mrs. Hyoudou with two glasses of teas for each hand. "I'm sorry for taking so long, but here's your tea, Mr. Shidou,"

Irina's father accepted the drink, "It wasn't necessary, but thank you," He pressed the glass over his lips, tasting it, "Hmm. What a faint taste… Chinese tea?"

The woman also took a sip from her drink, humming. "Yes, I hope it's good."

"Ah, that'd also explain the smell of lightly smoked kippers," The Exorcist carefully blew some steam away from his tea, "It tastes amazing, Mrs. Hyoudou."

The woman blushed slightly at the compliment, using a hand to cover her cheek. "You flatter me with your kind words, Mr. Shidou."

"Is there a reason for why your family's moving away from Kuoh?" The man with eyeglasses interrupted their conversation, recapping their previous exchange. "Are you not satisfied with our town? I quite like living here."

"What? Why?" His wife asked, a look of sadness overwhelming her features. "Are you leaving Kuoh?"

"I'm not leaving," Touji assured them, "Only my daughter and wife are moving to England. Meanwhile, I'll stay here for reasons."

"Reasons? What kind of reasons are you talking about?"

"…" Touji went silent after that, his eyes glancing downwards at the beverage between his hands, spotting his reflection staring back at him. "…Confidential information."

He couldn't say it. He didn't want to involve an ordinary family in the business of the Supernatural World. It was already problematic that the child, Issei, has a Sacred Gear locked on his body. It just made the family already involved in the mayhem, albeit indirectly. When they'd told him about Devils and Angels being a thing he felt his heart stop beating for a second. Just imagine how these two innocent bystanders would react after listening such a thing.

"I… see," Mr. Hyoudou sighed, a somber smile breaking on his face. "So, you're here to let Irina and Issei enjoy their time together while it lasts?"

"In a week they're going to the airport," replied the exorcist, "The reason why I decided to bother you is a different story."

"And what would that be?" Mrs. Hyoudou asked, putting her empty drink back on the table.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hyoudou, if your son had the opportunity to experience the beauty and culture of another country, would you allow him to?"

No response came from the couple, taken back by the offer that a good friend of theirs had suggested just seconds ago. They still could hear the giggles and chit chat coming from above them, and that's the only sound that could only dispose of the profound silence sinking around them.

"I… what?" The father shook his head, baffled, "Are you giving my son the chance to go visit _England_?"

" _Stay_ in England," Touji corrected him, a smile slowly sprouting from his lips, "If I have the rights to share my opinion. I think it'd be a great idea; not everyone has the chance to see a new world before their eyes."

"We don't have much money to pay for that kind of travel," Mrs. Hyoudou said, pursing her lips, "My son doesn't even speak another language, only Japanese."

"If money is the main issue then don't worry, everything is going to get paid, you don't have to supply us with a cent," The chestnut-haired man assured them. "My wife can teach your son to speak the native language of England; it's just matter of time for him to speak it fluently."

"What about school?" Mr. Hyoudou wasn't convinced about this at all.

"He could study with my daughter at the Catholic school she's enrolling in," Touji responded coolly, "They're going to mesh together excellently."

The Hyoudou couple shared a long and concerned look. Every time they had a question, the exorcist would counter the words with a perfect answer, he's a professional for this type of things. Involved with the church had helped him to negotiate and gain the confidence and hearts of multiple groups of people.

But the married couple shared the same thought. They didn't want Issei Hyoudou to leave forever. If it was a vacation of weeks or even a month, maybe they'll reluctantly accept and help their son pack everything important for the lengthened travel and enjoy the stay. But that wasn't the case. Touji has different plans for their child—he wants Issei to have a different way of living, a new life full of many unforgettable experiences.

What about them? Are they going to stay behind? Lose the thing that brightened their lives each morning? Their only purpose in life? Escape from Issei's memory?

"Mr. Shidou," He began, each word passing through his head, supporting his final decision, "We appreciate how you want to bring our son, Issei, into a new world with different possibilities," He paused, sighing, here it goes. "But I'm afraid we have to deny your proposal."

Irina's father eyes widened as wide as the gap between two minds—he immediately took another sip from his tea, trying to camouflage his astonishment. "I-Is that so?" Touji had said after setting down the empty half cup. "May I know why you'd decline? Is something disturbing you?"

"We don't want to just fade into our son's memories." Mrs. Hyoudou responded, supporting her husband's selection. "If we accepted this, we would never see him again."

"Of course, you could see him," Touji waved off their concerns, "Technology is the key to this solution, there's nothing to worry about."

"There's a difference between having your child behind a _flat_ _screen_ and having him _between_ your arms." She growled slightly, offended by his laid-back words.

"I think you don't see the big picture," Touji commented, "Your son has the _privilege_ to go to a different _country_ and learn something unique that Japan doesn't have. Isn't the objective of a mother and father to make their children happy no matter what?"

"Touji," Mr. Hyoudou adjusted his glasses, "It seems you aren't aware of a situation that has been bothering us for a long time."

Mrs. Hyoudou gasped behind her hand, "Dear you wouldn't…?"

"Am I missing something?" The Exorcist was disoriented, "Did something happen to Issei Hyoudou?"

"Thankfully, nothing happened to my son," Mr. Hyoudou said, "We had trouble producing a child. We failed twice. I slowly started losing hope because of the misfortune that fell upon us, but once again, for the third time, my wife got pregnant. I instantly dropped to my knees and prayed to the nearest shrine to the hospital. The rest is history."

…

"Mr. Hyoudou, I'm so sorry for—"

The brunette rose a hand, silencing him. "Save it. The memory hurts, I admit. But I'm still happy with having a son running around the house."

"…" Concerned, his wife interlocked hands with her husband, squeezing it.

Irina's father blew air from his nose. Disappointed at the turn of events. "Then the answer is a no, then?"

The couple mutually nodded.

"Pity," The Exorcist sighed, slowly getting up from the chair, bowing. "I respect your answer, and hopefully, you'll think about this subject deeper. I hope that our relationship remains intact after having this conversation."

"Of course."

"Well then," Touji dusted himself up, gesturing at the roof, "You wouldn't mind if my daughter stayed here for the night? Since she only has seven days before her departure, I think It'd be great if they share their last night together."

"Not at all," Mr. Hyoudou moved away from his seat, coming closer with their retreating guest with a hand lifted, finishing their talk with a handshake "Thank you for paying my family a visit."

"The pleasure is mine, Mr. Hyoudou," The light-brown-haired man accepting the gesture wholeheartedly, "I'll pick up Irina in the morning."

The brunette just nodded and opened the door for him, catching Touji muttering a fast thank you and disappearing from their eyesight.

…

"She's _not_ going to be pleased…" Touji sighed out, walking away from the Hyoudou's house while snatching his phone out of his pocket, "Nonetheless, I have to inform her."

Using his thumb, he began digiting the phone number that he burned into his mind. He couldn't lose this contact by any means, this is his boss, after all.

Cleansing his dry throat, he moved the device closer to his ear, patiently waiting for the responder to pick up the phone while going towards his sweet home.

[Hello?] He heard the voice of a young foreign girl, answering the call, [Touji, can you hear me?]

"Affirmative," Touji responded, smiling after listening to the relieved sigh coming from the girl, she's _such_ an angel.

[I'm so glad,] He could feel how she smiled from cheek to cheek, [How is life treating you, Touji?]

[So far so good, my Lady,] Touji replied, a small grin breaking on his face, [My back hasn't started to ache yet, our Lord indeed hears my prayers!]

He heard her trying to stifle her beautiful giggle. It was a blessing to talk with someone like her. Imagine how he feels when he accomplished entertaining her boss, [Oh _please_! You're still not old, Touji! Brighten up!]

A short laugh flees from his lips, "You really know how to bring anyone's spirits up, my lady," He frowned, ready to deliver the lamentable news, "But as much as it pains me, I'm not here to socialize."

She noticed the change of atmosphere behind her phone, plus his language altering was another giveaway, [Did something bad happen, Touji?]

The man in question stopped under a bright and charred lamppost, sighing and rubbing his temples, "It's about the boy with the Sacred Gear," he started, noticing that he'd captured her complete attention, "I failed the mission. The target's parents ditched my offer away. I'm so sorry."

An extended silence soon cropped up after that. Touji adjusted his collar, suddenly feeling how it tightened around his throat, impatiently waiting for her response.

[…I still don't know what the bad news is…] She openly admitted, her innocent question baffling the Exorcist.

"We lost _someone_ that could be useful for the church!" Touji exclaimed, glancing down to spot his shadow under the light of the streetlight, a hand forcefully sliding across his hair.

[So?]

"He _has_ a Sacred Gear,"

[So?] Her voice slowly meshed with amusement.

Unfortunately, Touji was blinded with shock to notice it, "A _Longinus_ Type!"

[Hmm…] The girl on the other end hummed, he could sense her head tilting to the side, as she studied the reasoning of Touji intensely, [Nope! I still don't understand the problem!]

Touji groaned, followed by a facepalm, finally giving up on bringing some sense in that head of hers, "Sometimes I believe you don't take my uneasiness to _heart_ …"

She giggled, [Touji. 'Tis alright. I realized something like this would happen. It's a pity, yes, but, nothing to worry about, okay?]

He grumbled, once again resuming his walk, "I still think it'd be great to have him in our ranks."

[You act as if we'd wage another senseless war against the Devils and Fallen Angels.]

"We never know, my Lady."

[By the way, I have something to tell you,] The girl behind the phone said, completely ignoring Touji's previous words, ['Tis confirmed. I've been granted the authorization to join your squad in Kuoh!] She paused, [That's how you pronounce the name of the town… right?]

"What?" The chestnut-haired man blurted out, "But, that's impossible! You're an important figure there in the Vatican! A Cardinal! I highly doubt that Vasco and Ewald just passed you the seal of approval so quickly!"

[Ah, you don't sound excited about meeting me,] She pouted, [That's not nice, Touji.]

"Please, don't think like that, it's just… I have everything under control. Does the Vatican truly need to send a special figure to such a humble town?"

[Oui!] The girl chirped.

Touji released an exhausted sigh, putting an end to this senseless feud. It's impossible to win a discussion against her. In fact, it'd be easier to train a blind chimpanzee to defeat Vasco Strada in his youth, then convincing the girl, "If that's your wish…"

[In a few weeks I'll depart to Kuoh! I have to go now, and the same applies to you. You must be tired after a long night. Rest well, Touji. You've earned it,] And like that, she ended the call.

"…" Silently, Touji took a quick peek at his phone's screen to see what time it is. Grunting, he pocketed the device.

"What're you trying to do?" He asked no one in particular, glancing up, coming face to face with the perfect midnight velvet, wrinkled by Van Gogh's starry night. He's worried, what's she planning? He'd talked about this with her before, but he took it as a mere joke, nothing else. But that had changed when the girl had received the thumbs-up from the remaining Cardinals.

Perhaps she wants to talk with Hyoudou's parents? Give it a shot to see if she can convince the couple in lending Issei to the church? Doubtful. When she hears the reasons behind their refusal, she's going to stop and apologize. She doesn't like to force people _unless_ it could greatly benefit multiples parties at once. Knock multiple birds with one stone as she says.

All he knows is that she's not coming to make sure he's doing his job with a grade of five-stars. She believes in his capabilities as a leader. She's coming for a different purpose, a _goal_ that perhaps could be for the greater good of everyone.

And when he says, everyone. He refers to _everyone_.

The matter of the Hyoudou bounded him with a wave of uneasiness—he couldn't help it. Seeing a free Longinus User who doesn't have any relationship with any faction is something difficult to overlook. Plus, this Devil also has the same thought: recruit him.

"But the Devil thinks he's already tied up around my finger," Touji mused, a finger scratching his chin, chuckling in the middle of the night, "Well, he doesn't need to know that the boy, Issei Hyoudou, is _not_ a member of the Church now does he?"

* * *

"Still nothing?" Danhauser asked, sitting on the couch as he continues watching Tobio's trying to invoke his Sacred Gear. He was excited, but seeing Tobio struggling on summoning the Longinus Artifact killed him from the inside. The suspense was real, even if he knows the blessing that the God of the Bible bestowed upon Tobio's soul.

Tobio sighed and shook his head, " _Nothing_ ," he responded, pinching the bridge of his nose, he doesn't know how many times he did the same steps over and over again, it was frustrating him now, "Are you sure I have this Sacred Gear thing?"

"Absolutely," Danhauser nodded, not giving up. "Close your eyes and concentrate. Imagine the strongest thing that comes to your mind."

Tobio frowned, "That's really it?" He received a small nod, "Sounds easy to unlock something powerful."

"He's right, though," Siegfried said, moving closer to the group, Bova following from behind, "It's the easiest method to unseal your Sacred Gear. This is coming from someone who also has one, mind you."

Tobio's eyes widened slightly, "Is that a dragon?"

"Yes, he is," Danhauser replied while Bova nodded at him.

"…" He shook his head, not wanting his brain to explode from thinking of the same thing for too long. He turned to Siegfried, "You have a Sacred gear, too?"

Siegfried merely summoned his silver dragon arm, waving his mechanical limb at the stunned Longinus User, "I do."

His eyes jumped to the Herculean figure of Bova, "I…see,"

Seeing his stare, Bova scowled, "Something wrong?"

 _"No, nothing's wrong, it's only that a damn dragon that speaks Japanese perfectly is looking down at me with those crimson eyes,"_ Tobio expelled air from his nose, "Nope. Nothing wrong at all," He faced once again the silent Devil, "Okay, so I imagine something powerful enough to call out my Sacred Gear?"

"Exactly," The reply was short but enough to confirm Tobio's curiosity.

The brunette sighed, "Here we go…" he eyes closed, taking deep breaths, he focused.

Danhauser, meanwhile, pursed his lips. He has an idea of why Tobio can't summon his Sacred Gear. His grandmother, Ageha Ikuse, used two Budhha Seals, each one for a different purpose. One of them to seal his Sacred Gear, and the second to erase Tobio's memories, including his parents.

 _"Even in your coffin, you're tweaking my plans in your favor, huh?"_ He clenched his teeth, slowly folding his arms as he kept staring at Tobio wrestling with himself. Maybe with the help of his mutated Knight and the aid of his Longinus, together, they could destroy the powerful spell? He could use Worthlessness, too. But he doesn't know how that type of magic works, at all.

…

Suddenly darkness emerged from the floor; charcoal etched the whole room and thus earning many gasps from the four individuals.

Immediately, Bova and Siegfried took defensive stances, their eyes following nothing in particular.

"Okay… I think this is bad," Danhauser's eyes darted to different directions. Luckily, since he's a Devil, his eyes are enhanced with night vision, allowing him to see in the dark perfectly. This shouldn't be happening; he remembers how Issei conjured Boosted Gear: a light appeared and illuminated the whole Occult Research Club… not this!

Apparently, by arcane magic, the blackness formed from Tobio's sheer imagination began to take shape. All of it condensed into a medium sized orb of darkness floating in the center of the room.

The three stared at the ball floating in the middle of the room. Every time it touched the floor, it would slowly bounce back to the sky, defying gravity with its mere presence, and not a single sound or whisper came from it.

Tobio opened his eyes, greeting the silent group, "All right I think it worked, where's my—whoa," He stopped, finally spotting his well-payed efforts. "So… this is my Sacred Gear, yeah?"

"It seems so," Siegfried responded, rubbing his chin, "Interesting, I haven't seen a Sacred Gear like this before…"

"It looks like an egg," Bova commented, moving his face closer to the black sphere, "A weird looking egg…"

Danhauser's eyes widened, _"That's it!"_ He snapped his fingers, accidentally calling everyone's attention. _"That is because Tobio's Sacred Gear is in egg form!"_ Thanks to the dragon's words, now he remembers everything. He doesn't remember what chapter he'd read it, but a girl that works for the Governor, Azazel, was ordered to gift Tobio an egg that could help him hatch his Sacred Gear.

 _"The question is, why give Tobio an egg if it was going to turn into one when he summons it, anyway?"_ He glanced down at his feet, trying to find an answer for this, _"Could it be because of the Buddha spells created by his grandmother? Hence the reason why Azazel did that? Did my mutated Knight Piece indeed hijack Ageha's hard work?"_

"Master!" A loud voice suddenly stopped him from monologuing. Further, he was pulled back to the real world.

"Yeah?" Danhauser blinked, seeing Siegfried sporting a look of annoyance, "Did you say something?"

"I did," Siegfried said, calming down, "I'll repeat it once again, any ideas of what this is, master?"

Danhauser looked away from his red eyes, steadily focusing on the ball of darkness, "No, but I think this is not the real form of the Sacred Gear."

"How can you tell?" Tobio questioned.

Danhauser shrugged, "Gut instinct."

Knowing that he's not going to answer more than that, Tobio jumped to the next question, "Then what should I do?"

"Touch it," Bova suggested, folding his arms.

The newest member blinked, "Hold on a second, you want _me_ to feel something that we don't know anything _about_ and has the possibility of _hurting_ _me_ badly?"

"Yes."

Tobio turned to Danhauser, wearing a pleading look when he made eye contact with his boss, "Please tell me you don't agree with what he said."

"I actually agree with Bova. Huh…"

"…" Tobio stared for a while before turning to the silver-haired boy, "I'll go out on a limb and guess that you agree with these two?"

Siegfried merely shrugged.

Pursing his lips, Tobio moved firmly to the rounded object; he quickly peeked at the globe shaped in darkness, he couldn't see his reflection, but it was like…water? Or like an Oil ball. Or a unique element that can only be discovered in the Supernatural World?

"Let's just get this over with," Tobio muttered, slowly lowering his hand over the object. Resistance stopped him when his fingers were inches away from the pitch darkness, but by using force, he slammed his palm on it, immediately regretting his actions, he was about to fetch his hand back, but stopped, slowly getting used to it.

"…It feels wet," Tobio observed how his movements produced ripples around the pitch-black orb, "It's like giving gentle pats to a pond's surface…"

Out of nowhere, it began to twitch at Tobio's touch, making the latter move away from it. The other three stayed away from the ball of darkness, how it moved violently, as if a random creature was locked inside and tried to break free from its prison. The rough gestures slowly turned into delicate stirs, gently landing softly on the floor.

"It's like a block of clay getting molded and reformed by someone," Siegfried spoke for everyone, "It's taking its true form."

Just as the swordsman implied, the no longer a ball began to alter itself to that of a quadruped canine with short, jet black fur across its body. Its ears in a droopy style while its tail is small, but pointed and its triangular nose following the color of coal excellently.

Cuddling in Danhauser's room, or more particular, on the floor, was a puppy made of complete darkness. His eyes closed as its snores continue echoing around the cave, not paying a single mind to its surroundings.

"A dog," Bova voiced out his thoughts, head tilted to reflect his curiousness, "Your Sacred Gear is a _dog_?"

Bova's gruff voice made the puppy's ear twitch, slowly, the creature began to rouse up, stretching its small legs and jaw, showing off its needle-like teeth.

The Sacred Gear blinked, its bright red eyes scanning the individuals staring back at him. When its eyes landed on Tobio, almost instantly, it began wagging its tail in content, barking with a jolt of happiness after perceiving its partner in the flesh.

"Someone's happy," Danhauser watched how the animal sprang toward Tobio in bounding steps that were almost like jumps. As it slowly approached its destiny, it's back legs swung outwards, and it almost lost its balance. Then it leaped up, pawing with its fore paws for attention, and its wet tongue licking furiously at Tobio's out-stretched fingers.

"That's adorable," Danhauser admitted, breaking into a small smile, "He already likes you."

"Yeah," Tobio chuckled, letting the puppy continue to wet his five digits, keeping a firm arm wrapped under the creature to make sure it didn't fall harshly to the floor.

"So, what is its name's going to be?" Danhauser asked, ensnaring everyone's attention, except for the canine, "I mean it's _your_ dog, and typically, you give a name to it."

Tobio hummed, slowly glancing down at the small dog doing its work proudly, "Jin. Its name is going to be Jin."

Jin barked, broke from its master's embrace and started running a marathon across the room. It was _definitely_ a baby, all that unlimited stamina spinning around its veins serves as a nod to Danhauser's previous theory. It was in constant motion, wagging, wriggling and jumping. It was a living store of pent up energy waiting to release itself on the world.

"Jin it is then," Siegfried's eyes followed the energetic canine, "I'm confused. I have never seen a Sacred Gear that has a dog as its prime weapon."

"Neither did I," Bova agreed, "I knew a few, and they never had a dog."

"I heard of the Sacred Gear," Danhauser added his two cents, "And I'm somewhat disappointed that you two have forgotten about what we talked about regarding our futures squad mates."

Siegfried frowned, trying to remember their previous conversation, then it hit him. "This… this is a Longinus Gear, correct?"

"Bingo," Danhauser nodded, "This is one of the thirteen Longinus capable of slaying a God, this is Canis Lykaon."

"Slaying a _God_?" Tobio repeated, gaping, "How can Jin _slay_ an omnipotent being?"

"That's a Longinus Sacred Gear for you," The gray-haired devil responded, shrugging, "They're unique, and most contain a powerful creature inside, yours, for example, houses a dog." He drawled, "However, your Sacred Gear is far more unique than others. It's an Avatar-Type Sacred Gear. In other words, Jin has its own mind."

Danhauser knows the remaining Avatar Type Sacred Gears and their respective possessors. The frightening, powerful purple flames that could incinerate even someone who's strength is that of a Satan. The Holy Cross where the King of Jerusalem, Jesus Christ was crucified. Incinerate Anthem, wielded by the Sadistic Witch, _Walburga_ , of the _Hexennacht_ Faction.

And the last one, the one that reduces the temperature to an exaggerated margin. It can forge ice sheets and alpine glaciers, lock a small country in a dome of ice in the blink of an eye. In the wrong hands, it could freeze the entire world, once again birthing the Age of Ice. It embodies the elemental attribute of Ice. Its name is Absolute Demise, at the disposal of the Magician Girl _Lavinia_ _Revi_ , of the _Grauzauberer_ Association.

It's funny, how the Stray Magician that manipulates Fire and the Legal Magician that controls Ice are, in a way, indirectly, enemies. It's like Ying and Yang.

"What does the dog do then? Fetch the newspaper for you? Hump your leg?" Bova grunted, watching the dog slowly move back to its owner.

"It can summon sharp blades from its body. Also, it can turn itself into a sword," Danhauser explained with a chuckle, "Befitting for a Knight."

"That's why you turned me into a Knight?" Slash Dog asked facing his new Master.

"Not really," Danhauser lied, he couldn't say he knew that he had Canis Lykaon, or else they'd get suspicious, "My Knight Piece was mutated, hence the reason why I used it on you." He suddenly clapped his hands, "Well, let me end this by congratulating you on unlocking your Longinus Gear."

 _"And already attaining Balance Breaker,"_ Danhauser let a breath escape from his mouth. Tobio's case is an oddity. From the day he'd left his mother's womb, he'd already awakened his Sacred Gear, thus instinctively triggering his Balance Breaker. There's not a correct answer for such anomaly, but Danhauser believes it to be a mere "bug" in God's system.

He wished to tell him about his Balance Breaker, but he's afraid that his family would find out. Since the reason for a Sacred Gear evolving into the Illegal Move is because of the absence of God of the Bible and the Four Original Satans. For now, it's better to stay quiet and not start a mayhem in the Underworld. Who knows how the Devil's population would react after hearing such announcement?

From what he'd read from the Slash/Dog Light Novel, this creature, Jin, is far more divergent from the other thirteen Longinus Gears.

Canis Lykaon is crowned as God. A fake God. The Heavenly Dog whose purpose is to consume the sun or the moon during an Eclipse, a tale similar to the Evil Dragon, Apophis. Archenemy of the Chinese God, Zhang Xian, was the being that shot an arrow at the Dog of Black to eradicate it from this world, but ultimately failed.

Jin is a _Tiangou_ or commonly known in Japan as _Inugami_.

"Sieg, I need you to train Tobio in wielding a sword," Danhauser ordered, eliciting a nod from the silver-haired Knight. He turned to the recruit, "The one with the silver hair is called Siegfried, the dragon is called Bova Tannin, and you already know my name. Welcome to my group you two."

Jin barked contently, sitting beside its master like an obedient dog.

"Well, I have to go now," Danhauser announced, slowly walking to the exit of his room, "Make sure you guys close the door when you leave."

"Wait!" The brunette called, stopping the Devil from his tracks, "You know about my family, when are we going to talk about it?"

 _"One of the seals survived, it seems, his memories are still blocked,"_ Danhauser sighed like a slight spring breeze, opening the door, "Right. Don't worry, I'll tell you everything I know, but for now, I need to go to school."

Nothing else to add he walked away from the room, leaving the three males and the dog alone in Danhauser's room.

"So, you want to train now?" Siegfried offered, "Unlike master, I don't have any sorts of arrangements."

Tobio sighed and shrugged. Sae must be getting embraced and yelled by her parents, so visiting her isn't an available option, "I guess so."

"I'll go with you three," Bova invited himself to the party, "My dad is not going to pick me up for a while, perhaps I could entertain myself seeing a sparring between two swordsmen while I wait."

No one objected, they only turned to the door, letting Jin pass between their legs and be the first one to run outside the room. Its barkings echoing into and down the halls, as if the dog was chasing down a car.

Tobio smiled tiredly as the canine ran off, "You know, for something that is capable of killing Gods, he's a little dumb."

* * *

"Prince Belial? What're we doing here?" The Phenex girl asked as her eyes kept darting carefully around the building.

"Didn't you say that you wanted me to train you?" Danhauser said, sparing her a quick glance before taking a sudden stop.

The girl nodded strongly, "Yes, I did!" Ravel affirmed, her tiny fists close to her chin, "But, w-why do we have to be in a building like this?"

Belial rested his hands on his waist, "This is a gymnasium, we cannot practice hand to hand combat or demonic power outside of this building."

He was surprised how the young blonde girl asked him to train her on manipulating both demonic powers and the terrifying flames of the Phoenix Bird. Of course, the first question blurted out: why not ask her brother, Riser, to train her? She didn't want to annoy him, that was the main issue with her, which he doubts that Riser would find her adorable sister an annoyance.

Even Ruval could also be a tempting offer, but like Danhauser, he's also an Heir of his Housecarl. Maybe he's occupied just like Lord and Lady Phenex and is doing his best to keep the famous Phoenix Tears rolling and sailing around the Underworld. Perhaps Ravel's Clan is one of the most richest Houses around the Government of the 72 Pillars.

Something that had peeked Danhauser's curiosity was seeing an empty chair in his class, especially when it belongs to the infamous Bael, Sairaorg. At first, he'd begun to worry. He'd heard that the coma that Misla would fall into had come to pass, he knew it would shatter the Bael's heart, and turn him into a mess of salty tears. The thought still stuck in his head.

He just wished Misla still doesn't face that curse, yet.

"Ah, I see," Ravel now understood, "Again thank you for helping me, Prince Belial."

"You know that you can call me Dan, right?" Danhauser said, curling an eyebrow at her diminutive figure, "No need to act so formal in school."

"E-Eh?" Ravel squealed, suddenly playing with the corners of her dress to hide her shyness, "B-But, you're helping me! The least I could do is treat you with respect…"

"You don't have to," Danhauser assured her with a small smile, "Glad I could lend you a hand in this."

"…" The girl just hummed quietly at his words; her eyes still lingered on her shoes. She could feel his gray eyes watching her small figure.

"Anyways," Danhauser clapped, "Honestly? Out of all the creatures around the world, we, the Devils, have the easiest method to invoke our inner powers. If you're a quick learner, you'll be able to wield your flames faster than a fast food drive-in window. Are you ready?"

Ravel giggled, bobbing her head happily, "Yes! I trust you! Don't fail me, okay?"

"Don't worry," Danhauser waved off her concerns, "Once we're done here, you'll leave this place and gloat of your amazing pyromancy skills to your family." His smiled stretched slightly, dropping on one knee to be the same height as his apprentice. "Now, first of all, you need to have your mind clear."

A look of determination flashed on Ravel's face—he found it adorable, "Mind clear… Mind clear, okay!"

"Now raise your hand…" Danhauser trailed off, watching how the blonde girl followed his instructions, she raised her hand to shoulder level, "Your palm should be facing outwards, too."

"Oh! Sorry," The Phenex apologized, doing as exactly as Danhauser told her to do so.

"Okay, I want you to keep your eyes closed," Danhauser commanded, seeing how her deep ocean eyes completely disappeared from eyesight, "Great, is your mind still blank?"

Ravel merely nodded.

"Good. Here…" Danhauser pressed a finger in the middle of her palm, "…Is where your spell is going appear. I want you to focus and channel your power in the center of your palm, got it?"

"Got it," Ravel repeated, her eyes still closed, "I need to imagine a flame, right?"

"Correct," Danhauser nodded, patting her shoulder to comfort her, "You can do it, you're a Phenex."

"R-right," Ravel stammered with her vision still surrounded by darkness. She took soft breaths, slowly letting them go out from her nostrils, as she directed her pyrokinesis to her arms and slowly around the corners of her hand, hesitantly wavering around her palm. The image of an orange wisp of fire nailed in her mind.

 _"Can I do it…?"_ Ravel thought, biting her trembling lip, _"What if I fail? What If I accidentally burn something? What if I burn the building? What if I burn him…? No! I can do it! Yes I… can? Or will I ruin everything?"_

The girl shook her head firmly; her palm began trembling as if she was freezing from the air conditioner. Panic slowly started to replace her confidence, shattering the latter like glass.

Danhauser noted her random spasm, steadily surrounding his hand with Worthlessness, "Ravel… Just think of a small flame, nothing else."

Unfortunately, the girl had locked herself in her inner world, her eyes filled with fear. In the grip of silent panic, squirming, drowsiness, heart racing, brain on fire, brain nerve cells firing like clusters bombs exploding in her brain, turned her brain into a mental ocean of conflicting disasters _, brain frozen, brain feeling like it's seized up, shrill scream, frozen in panic, almost threw up, brain feeling like it's been pickled in brine, arms—_

It stopped. As if time had begun to coagulate into itself, as shapeless as the rain. Her vessel of power dissolved from her spirit, something warm resting on her wrist.

Skeptical, she opened her eyes, those beautiful deep blue eyes blessing the world, glancing down at her wrist, two fingers were checking her pulse, but that's not it. She could feel demonic magic pouring from them; a pitch-black aura surrounded them, is that his Clan Trait?

Finally, she heard his sigh, making her shudder internally, her eyes still locked where his fingers were once before, now replaced by a gray symbol? His Housecarl symbol?

"…" A heavy silence settled over them, thicker than the uneasy tension in the atmosphere. Ravel anxiously passed her thumb over the small tattoo on her wrist, "I feel empty," she mumbled, disturbed by the sound of silence, "Is… is this your Belial House Trait…?"

"It nullifies powers," Danhauser kept it brief, looking down at the nervous child, ignoring the ambiance, "You'll get them back in a few seconds."

Faithful to his words, the Belial's symbol began withering up, chipping apart around her wrist and slowly getting blown away by the air like a pile of ashes.

She didn't smile in relief; she just gulped, "They're back…" Ravel quietly announced, uncomfortable shuffling from her place, no answer came back, "I—!"

"What happened, Ravel?" He asked, freezing her mouth, his eyes still trying to melt her skull, "You imagined a small flame, right?"

"Y-yes…"

"Then why were you acting like that?" Danahuser questioned, "You already had it pictured."

Her gaze cast downwards, "I-I began to panic," She admitted, "My mind began fabricating ugly thoughts… I'm sorry."

She felt an unexpected weight on her head, startling her, finally daring to look up she found the hand of her trainer, softly ruffling her golden locks.

"I understand. No one's perfect, right?" His voice wasn't like any ordinary voice; it gave her a glow inside. But the look in his eyes was not so friendly, another reason why she'd been nervous during her first meeting him outside his classroom. "But, you really need to imagine a flame and nothing else. Who knows, maybe those ugly things you were unintentionally sketching may have come to reality."

That was a big issue about how Devils cast their abilities. Since they depend on their imagination, they need to keep a mind sharp and clean and think what they want to turn into reality. If they started to have an outburst of hysteria, their brains are going to take off on another trajectory, thus accidentally inventing something that they'll soon regret.

She was still a virgin on this; Danhauser understood that. Unlike her, he was more excited than alarmed.

She winced, but soon smiled kindly at him and nodded. "I-I'm not causing problems, right?"

"Nope," Danahsuer shook his head, giving one last pat before retracting his hand, "Wanna give it another shot? If something wrong goes, I'll just use Worthlessness."

Her blue and innocent eyes widened, nodding enthusiastically, "Yes! This time I will not fail! I promise!"

To say that her orbs were blue was like saying that the sun was mixed yellow orange. True, but not accurate to capture the burning resolve. Nonetheless, he chuckled at her change of attitude, "I know you will," Danhauser nodded, folding his arms and looking down at her questioningly, "You do remember the steps, right?"

The girl doesn't need to be told twice. Immediately, she shut her eyes, lifted her arm above shoulder level and made sure her palm was glaring at the endless roof, "Imagine a flame, correct?"

Danhauser was impressed, but he masked his expression. He almost felt envious of her, "Right."

She squinted her already closed eyes, slowly capturing the frame of a minuscule flame fanned by the breeze, flashing their brilliant red to the sun, charring the afternoon in their radiant glow.

A silent gasp escaped from her mouth. She could feel it. She _felt it_. A sudden warmth tingles her palm as if the sun decided to land in her hand just for fun.

"Open your eyes," She heard his calm voice, she could feel how a tiny smile cracked on his face, "Something tells me that you'll _love_ what you're about to see next."

She obeyed, albeit hesitation told her otherwise, but she disregards it. When her orbs stood wide open, she spotted a glowing ember leaping and twirling in an intoxicating dance; it was as small as the tip of a birthday candle.

Ravel, once again, gasped, quickly leading her hand out to protect the exposed flame from the puff of wind.

"Congratulations, Ravel." Danhauser started, giving her a rapid nod, "You can now extend your mastery over fire."

The girl, however, didn't hear his words, "Dan! Look! _Look_! Fire! I made fire!" Ravel squealed, getting on tiptoes to brush her spell over Danhauser's face.

Belial recoiled his head, making sure it didn't rub the tip of his nose, chuckling, "Great. Now just keep training harder until you can throw torrents of fire in your enemies' faces."

She retreated her hands from Danhauser's eyes, moving it closer to her, pouting, "It's small, though…"

He once again patted her head, trying to cheer her up, "Don't worry, when you grow up and practice more, it'll grow."

She blew off her small flame, dusting her palms by using the corners of her skirt, "If you say so…" Her eyes stared back at his, "Thank you so much. If it wasn't for your help, I might not have succeeded…"

"Not really," Danhauser waved off her praising, "You did all the work, I just stood there. You're a quick learner, that's a rare virtue that you don't see nowadays."

She brought her small fists near her chin, flashing her infectious smile that shined like stars in the dark sky, "Thank you…"

Danhauser smiled back, slowly raising a hand to rub his neck, "How about we go to the tree and rest for a while, huh?"

Her smile turned into a grin, "I'd love that!"

* * *

Danhauser wishes to know the secrets of True Form.

Danhauser always saw True Form as the Balance Breaker of many mythical creatures, but strong emotions only trigger a Sacred Gear's Balance Breaker, or how Issei unlocked his, by groping Rias' tits, which he theorizes may be because of the strong emotion 'lust.'

But it seems that True Form could also be activated by emotions, such as Gasper Vladi when he set in motion something that could be nominated Balance Breaker yet it isn't. It all happened when the Dhampir heard Georg declaring Issei's fate by Samael's poison. The darkness belonged to him, not from his Sacred Gear, the multiple eyes, however, those are from his Sacred Gear. It could also be said that Gasper's True Form fused with his Balance Breaker, thus awakening the conscience of the King Fomorian, Balor of the Evil Eye, just a small portion of it, though.

He still couldn't grasp the concept, and he wouldn't dare to try and activate it _without_ knowing at least some _data_ of such an unstable power. Danhauser speculates it may have to do with mastering your House Trait; that's easier said than done. Sirzechs is a prime example of this. He, who mastered the Power of Destruction to the point that everything it touches, gets annihilated, no matter the will of the object or character.

He already has his choices; he knows who to ask the one million dollar question. Someone who's age _perhaps_ shares the same numbers of Japan's half population.

Calcabrina Belial and Malacoda Malebranche, his mother and uncle respectively. He could ask his brother, Diehauser, too. Any of the three are perfect to answer his intense desire to know unexplored knowledge.

 _"For starters, I should train more, I feel like I'm slacking off a little,"_ He hummed, walking side by side with the former Marshal of France, Gilles de Rais, the man who'd stood outside of the school gates to pick him up, much to his chagrin. Curiosity tempts him. How come Gilles would be the one to take him out from the Academy? Couldn't his uncle at least fetch him?

"Hey, Gilles, no offense, but…" Danhauser trailed off, seeing how the Frenchman didn't offer a quick glance at his presence, something's wrong… "But why did Diehauser send you to pick me up?"

Still not looking down at him, Gilles scowled, "We have a _lovely_ visitor today," he growled, his voice no longer carrying the same teasing tone.

"…" Danhauser just listened to the muffled laughs coming behind the doors they're slowly approaching, "I see…"

Finally, the pair entered the main room, and everyone inside the area turned to greet the newcomers. Danhauser knew four of them, the fifth one, however, was an anonymous face. His two Knights and Bova weren't present, either.

A man who appeared to be in his twenties with silver hair swept back and a strand hanging in his face, gracious, deep green eyes looked at the two newest arrivals. He's tall with a remarkable figure, his attire looked like that of an aristocrat, almost magician-like, with a button up high collar.

"Ah, so the child has finally come," the man said cordially with a Germanic accent, slowly rising from his seat, "I hope school was pleasant? Or was not? Typically, children around your age complain about going to such a magnificent place. Little do they know that school progressively changes people into the person they said they'd never become."

The gentleman moved toward him, while Gilles just scoffed and retreated to his master's side, letting the man close his distance between him and Danhauser, "Ah, I remember. I haven't introduced myself yet, correct?" He laughed, "Forgive my manners."

Danhauser just stared warily. The man's right hand is pressed horizontally across the abdomen while the left is held out from the body, he bowed, "Friendly greetings to you, Prince Danhauser. I am _Rudiger_ _Rosenkreutz_ ," Pater R.R.C. smiled warmly at the stunned Devil, "It's refreshing meeting you outside of your coffin."

"…Ah?" Danhauser's jaw dropped slightly, sparks in his brain, desperately trying to connect the dots and instead just causing a short circuit.

Rudiger intentionally disregarded his bemusement, the friendly expression still glued on his face, "If it doesn't cause inconvenience, I'd prefer to continue this exchange in a different location, _privately_ ," His eyes flashed, "We have important matters to discuss. I am overwhelmed with delight to meet _you_."

* * *

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Koihime: Thanks for the kind words!**

 **Tail: Perhaps, who knows? You'll find out. Good day!**

 **Dxd: Just because it's dxd doesn't mean that you necessarily need to build a harem, lol.**

 **Sano: Thanks for reviewing!**

* * *

 **Let's be honest. Rudiger making a scene was bound to happen. Yes or Yes. Or what? Haven't you seen my username? I'll enjoy writing the fellow, and hopefully, my enjoyment is going to be contagious toward all of you. By the way, there's an imgae of him in the wiki, just if you want to see his appareance.**

 **We also had Touji paying a visit to the Hyoudou's and talking with an unknown face, don't worry, she's a canon character, not an OC, what a breather, right?**

 **Tobio unlocked his Sacred Gear and along the way, his Balance Breaker, in my defense, that's how Tobio's lore is written, lol. Check his wiki if you guys don't believe me. By the way, Jin has an appearance, just type in google: Slash/Dog Jin, and you'll find it, just a tip to help you mold the picture, I think there's one for the dog, too.**

 **This chapter was longer to write, since, uh, let's just say that I'm trying to make my story feel more… richer. I still think I've failed, but, I'll keep doing my best, Thesaurus is watching over me.**

 **Well, I have nothing else to say here.** **Good day and cheers.**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: I.N.R.I.**


	11. INRI

**Chapter 11: I.N.R.I.**

* * *

 _A year has passed, and they'd become boyfriend and girlfriend respectively. The word, however, left a sour taste in his mouth. Not the meaning, the message was music to his ears. Perhaps it's the use of the word "friend" that ruined the moment every time she uttered the word "boyfriend." He'd never told her about the issue he had—he would just deal with it and address her as his significant other, now that left a refreshing sigh out of his lungs._

 _They'd dated for months and months, not getting tired of each other's personalities. They just embraced their weak and strong points tightly._

 _She would always find a way to drive him crazy. And he loves it._

 _They'd moved in. He'd bought a house that would make a Pillar Devil hiss in disgust. A simple one-story building that had a perfect view of a lake, where nature and silence lived in harmony with one another, ideal for himself and his other half._

 _Even then, she was beyond surprised when he'd shown her the abode which is far away from civilization. He had to admit, it's rather amazing, but his territory in the Underworld is better than this chunk of terrain._

 _She'd wanted to know how much money had left his wallet after spending it on this house, but he kept it as a personal secret and replied with a lie. He was grateful when she dropped the interrogation._

 _The pair drowned themselves with their favored drink on the deck. For the man a glass of wine, for the woman a can of beer._

 _"Life is good," she said after a long and tranquil silence, stretching slightly with a satisfied groan, "Especially when summer hit us like a truck."_

 _"Hit us like a truck?" He parroted, facing her. "Is there a meaning behind that sentence?"_

 _She sighed, "It came suddenly, we were unprepared," She took a sip, sending a side-glance to her boyfriend, "Really? Are you really that unaware? That expression is well-known around here."_

 _"…" He didn't answer back, preferring to savor his wine while watching the scenery before them._

 _Her eyes suddenly wandered to her waist, softly stirring her drink, "Say, what do you think about kids?"_

 _"Kids…?" He repeated, making sure he heard her right. Getting a dull hum from the gal, he smiled slightly, "I think children are sweet, funny, and smart."_

 _"Huh, different mindsets I see…" She drawled, her eyesight shifting over the lake, "They're not smart. Or good at much. Just my two cents… But that's not the answer I was waiting for."_

 _"Then what is it?"_

 _"What I'm trying to say if you and I have some? A little Idiot. Or two little idiots."_

 _There were delicious moments nowadays between these two where one of them would catch off guard the other, and today, it was glorious. His face went blank with a mix of turbulence like his brain gears couldn't whirl fast enough to suck the message from his wide eyes._

 _She mentally cursed herself for not carrying a camera, internally begging that a fugitive comet would pop-out from nowhere to fulfill her selfish dream._

 _Every muscle of his body just stiffened before a grin cracked onto his face, it soon extended from one side to the other, displaying every single tooth, "That sounds like a fantastic idea."_

 _"Then it's obvious what our next step is," she returned the happy expression with a smirk of her own, "We should get married."_

 _"Engaged…? Yes, I adore the sound of that word." He heard her laughing softly, "What is it?"_

 _She just shook her head—her enticing smirk swapped with a small grin, "I just imagined the brats screwing up the damn house. Let's keep in mind the act of tying them up to something."_

 _"Noted."_

 _"Also, if we're going to tie the knot then I want something else too," She lifted her empty hand—a pinky lifted, "Let's make a vow that we won't hide anything important that could affect us, and be faithful to one another. Promise?"_

 _"…" He stared at her raised finger for a decent amount of time. He obviously is going to stay loyal to her. In his eyes, she's the most beautiful woman to walk on earth, he didn't know why, nor did he care to find out, he let his heart do its part, and he's actually satisfied with the results._

 _But there was something that made him think. The part where she said to gift the truth and only the truth._

 _She doesn't know he's a Reincarnated Devil, and until now, he didn't even plan on telling her his true race, take his true identity to the grave. He can't do it. She's going to be frightened after knowing that she'd been dating a fictitious creature for a year now._

…

 _"Promise," He finally said, wrapping his pinky finger with hers, squeezing it softly._

 _She smiled, satisfied, "Good," snatching her pinky away, she sighed, contented, snickering after a few seconds of relaxing silence, "This is not how you have to propose me. You're supposed to get on your knees, grab my hand, and show me the ring, you know? With beautiful scenery and the scent of fresh roses filling our nostrils."_

 _"I can do that if that if it would make you happy," he offered, "Just give me four or three days to have everything ready."_

 _She rolled her eyes, blowing some air to push the hair away from her forehead, "Please don't, that's so cliché, and you're the cheesiest person I've met, Ruddy. Of all-time," she smiled after hearing his silent objection, "Just prepare the wedding, and I'll take care of the fabulous dress and the special guests."_

 _"Your family, I presume?"_

 _"And yours, too."_

 _"They're not here—they're in another country," He lied._

 _She clicked her tongue, "Pity… I've never met your parents—meh, maybe they'll hate my guts," She chuckled, "Whatever, tomorrow let's start our respective quests and marry ASAP!"_

 _"Of course."_

 _..._

 _..._

 _..._

 _"Holy shit. We're the weirdest pair of all times, Ruddy!"_

 _"Do you regret it?"_

 _"Nope. Not at all. I love it."_

* * *

"I must say, your room truly is well-kept, Prince Danhauser," Rudiger complimented after making his way inside Belial's room, "The maids are performing their assignments smoothly!" He spun around, facing the teenager with a gentle smile, "Hopefully, you appreciate the deeds of these young damsels?"

"Of course," Danhauser bestowed a smile, "I don't know how, but every time they swap my bed sheets, it feels like I'm resting on a cloud. They're amazing."

"Hm. This is a wild guess, but is there a possibility that you love sleeping?" Seeing the gray-haired Devil nod, made the Magician chuckle, "Ah, it seems that we share a similar perspective. Sleeping is beautiful. Peaceful. Quiet. There are no obligations or deadlines. Only fluffy pillows, soft cotton sheets, and warm goose-down blankets."

"I'm glad we share something in common," Danhauser started, "But I don't think you came here to talk with me about sleeping under the sheets."

Just as the Belial predicted, Pater R.R.C. affirmed with a hum, "Unfortunately, yes—I came here for something completely different. I'm a man with a busy schedule nowadays. Plus being a participant in the Rating Games has just added more weight to my shoulders."

Danhauser let his tongue roll as he digested Rudiger's words. He doesn't know the man at all. Sure, he'd read about him in the Light Novel, but only after the part where multiple and powerful Gods of various Mythologies locked themselves with the Beast. The Upsetting Sorcerer did appear in the Novel, but as an Extra Character: the referee of the Match between Gremory and Bael. Other than that, he's just patrolling over unknown ground.

The only thing he knows is that Rudiger may be one of the strongest Reincarnated Devils that the Underworld has at its disposal. His status as a 7th place in the Rating Games board is a firm nod to Danhauser's statement. Grayfia doesn't count since even if she carries the Queen Piece, she's already a Devil, heart, and soul.

But the issue at hand is, what does Rudiger want from a teenager? Danhauser doesn't have anything useful in his pockets to aid the German on… Whatever his affair is with the young Belial. The Magician would also directly opt for Diehauser's help since they're friends, similar to Tannin.

Danhauser sighed, "I see."

"Not a child of many words?" Rudiger asked, a tone of playfulness slipping from his lips. He cleared his throat. "Then let us make haste, then." He snapped his fingers, and just by that action alone, Danhauser felt a pulse of pure energy surrounding the place.

 _"Did he just make sure that no one can spy on our conversation?"_ Danhauser thought, his eyes moving in various directions, _"A magic spell to make sure everything's muted outside of this room?"_

Rudiger spun around and did a reverse arm-fold. He began exploring deeper into the room. "Let me start by asking you a simple question. Before I introduced myself, have you heard of me at all?"

"Not really," Danhauser admitted, seeing how Rudiger froze for a second, before resuming his adventure, "I mean, I'd heard of someone carrying the nickname of The Upsetting Sorcerer… I guess that's you?"

"Correct," Pater R.R.C. nodded, standing in front of the bed, "But I also have a lifestyle outside of the Rating Games, do you know about it?"

Danhauser curled an eyebrow, "No," he responded, spotting the smallest frown cracking his features, but it quickly disappeared.

"Are you sure?" Rudiger persisted, not facing Belial,"Not even a small hint of my private way of living?"

"I don't know how I'm supposed to know about your personal life," Danhauser scowled, "I haven't met you before."

 _"There it is!"_ Danhauser again saw it. Rudiger's face crumples again _—_ he's missing something essential, isn't he?

"Well," The Magician harrumphed, "Perhaps I should give you some vital information to clean your mind…" He tilted his head, eyeing the ceiling, "In my previous life, as a human, I was a magician. Not a top class such as Lucifer's Bishop or Diehauser's Bishop. A mere High-Class sorcerer with no outstanding feats at all. As time went on, I became peerless thanks to the Rating Games, thus building my own Magic Association, Rosenkreutzer."

Danhauser whistled, "That's fantastic. Congratulations, your efforts truly had paid off."

Rudiger sulked a bit, sending a side-glance to the teenager, "Was that supposed to be sarcastic?"

Gasping, Danhauser brought a hand to his mouth, "N-no!" He flushed, "I mean it! _Seriously_! For a Reincarnated Devil to be successful at his goals is an amazing feat!"

"…" Rosenkreutz kept staring, making Belial tense at his gaze, before finally offering a radiant smile, "Ah, thank you for the compliment, Prince Danhauser."

The gray-haired Devil just sighed behind his hand, relieved, "So, can we continue?"

"Of course," The German chuckled, "My Magical Order concentrates on different paths of magic, but mostly, we follow the Arts of Alchemy. Just as any Magical Organization, each institution carries a 'motto' to keep a colorful and inspirational ambiance for our students," he spared a quick glance to his listener, "Do you know what Rosenkreutzer's motto is?"

"No, I don't," Danhauser shifted closer to his table, leaning his back on the furniture, "What's the motto?"

"…" He shot Belial a brief smile, before looking away from him, "I'm glad that you asked. Tell me, Prince Danhauser, what does _I.N.R.I._ stands for?"

 _"Iesvs Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm,"_ When a migraine struck, Danhauser was its prisoner, helpless in the cage of pain, _"Shit! Fuck!"_ Pounding, _throbbing_ , like a toothache in his brain. He massaged the side of his head, "N-no I don't know, what's that supposed to mean?" He lied, of course, he knows. Those were the initials for the Latin title that they'd written over the head of Jesus Christ on the Cross.

Thankfully, Rudiger didn't acknowledge Danhauser's excruciating pain, "Iesvs Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm," he responded, grunting as he also passed through a soaring headache, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."

"Okay, why's your motto _that_ Man's nickname?" Danhauser asked, making sure not to pronounce that name. He was perplexed why Rudiger selected the Epithet of a prominent figure of the Catholic Church. Could it be that he's like Asia? Is he Catholic, too? Hence the reasoning behind this? But then it wouldn't make sense for him to become a Reincarnated Devil unless the King found him in a lifeless state or near death's door.

"We could say it's a tribute," the Rosicrucian answered nonchalantly, "Since, in truth, that's not the motto of my Magical Association. _I.N.R.I._ has an acronym and alternate meaning that I've developed myself," he trailed off, "Igne Natura Renovatur Integra. Would you kindly translate it, please?"

"…" Danhauser furrowed his eyebrows, turning around and leaning over the table, glaring at the beautiful wall, focusing on the word that Rudiger pronounced, "…Through fire, nature is reborn whole." He responded, thanks to his passive ability called 'Language' it made it easier to understand multiple languages without toasting his brain.

"Eureka," Pater R.R.C. applauded, "That's the English version of the phrase. Many of my scholars have a diverse point of view—they regard that quote from distinct perspectives. Some of them argue, some of them shrug them off and follow their own instinct, minding their business."

"I'm not following," Danhauser admitted, scratching his scalp, "What does this have to do with me?"

"We're approaching the corner," Rudiger assured him, "Of course, it has an original definition, and so far, I'm the only one who knows it."

"And I'll be the second one?" Danhauser guessed, earning a firm nod, "But why?"

"…" The silver-haired ignored his question, slowly strolling to the other side of the room, passing a finger over the wall and scanning his digit, as if he was expecting dust coat his index, "… My _I.N.R.I._ implicates the anomaly of the ever-repeating cycle of _death_ and _life_."

…

"… Care to specify?" Danhauser began to worry, gulping saliva, his heart suddenly thrumming faster, the veins under his skin began to flare living fire.

The surrounding atmosphere, it was one desolated and filled with the sound of Danhauser hesitantly tapping the floor. You could cut the ambiance with the cheapest knife sold at a flea market, heck—a wooden knife could handle the job, too.

The Magician still held his back to Belial, rubbing his thumb and index together, "You _want_ prime examples?" His voice suddenly became serious and sullen when he hissed, " _As you wish_ , rebirth, reanimation, resurrection, incarnation…" Bit by bit, he looked over his shoulder, a knowing glint burning in those deep, forest eyes, "… _Reincarnation_."

…

He could feel it. The cold sweat drenching over his skin, the throbbing of his tensed eyes, and the thumping of his heart against his chest. He knows. He fucking knows, "Interesting," Danhauser breathed out, his fingers suddenly treating the table as piano's keyboards.

"Indeed, _Interesting_ ," Since the starting point of the conversation, Rudiger finally faced the anxious Devil, "Months ago, I paid a visit to the hospital you were temporally bedridden in. I took the time to read your updated files correctly."

Danhauser gasped, "You can't do that!" He snapped, "Those are confidential files! Only someone from my family can read it!"

Rudiger's smile reappeared, eliciting a chill to run down on his spine, "And guess who lent me the documents?" He paused, waiting for a reaction. Seeing none, he resumed, "I'm a professional in the field of medicine, hence the reason why The Emperor had entrusted me your papers. It seems I forgot to tell you that. _Whoops_."

His fingers curled into trembling fists, nails digging into his palm. He couldn't believe it. Rosenkreutz had planned this since the moment Danhauser was hospitalized! The moment Tannin brought Bova to Belial Territory is when Rudiger put his plan into action!

And unfortunately for him, the Upsetting Sorcerer's plans ran smoothly.

 _"It must be that day!"_ Danhauser's orbs began wandering around the room, landing on everything except the Reincarnated Devil, _"Bova's father said something about Rudiger participating in a Rating Game. He'd invited Diehauser to be the referee, either on the start or end of the match was when he approached my brother…"_

"And you know what furtherly peeked my curiosity?" Rudiger continued, not giving a damn about the environment, "Your symptom—Lazarus Syndrome. The excuse the doctors used to explain why you once again started breathing."

"It's not an excuse!" The gray-haired devil shot back, "That's how I left my coffin!"

Rudiger exhaled from his nose, "Of course you'd believe that," he waved his hand, almost dramatically, as if he was guiding an orchestra, "I'll admit. I was going to also be deceived and believe in the written notes, but that soon took a hastened stop when I spotted your second syndrome: Amnesia," He laughed, somewhat loudly, " _Unbelievable_! The cat in the bag did an _atrocious_ job of hiding!"

"Yeah, I lost my memories, so what?" Danhauser glared daggers, "I don't understand where's the fun in that."

"I remember how you burst out from the building with The Emperor, and the rest chasing after you. Indeed, I was there when you started your show," He commenced with another mighty swing of his hand. "Diehauser told me how you'd began listening after he pinned you to the ground. But you had amnesia, or not? Weren't you still afraid? Screaming for help? Or was the first theory to strike your mind was: 'He's my older brother so I should believe his premises'?"

Danhauser listened to his—somewhat—confident chuckle, "Right now, you have two entities within you. The _spirit_ of young Belial and the _soul_ of a human. Two personalities are colliding with one another, but one of them has the high ground, while the other is slowly succumbing to a profound and _saddening_ slumber."

"What?" Danhauser scoffed, even if he was in a state of shock, he has the capacity to retaliate, "There's no way I could have two personas within me. I only have one. The spirit of myself, Danhauser Belial, the Devil. You're just making this up."

"For how long are you going to keep up your deficient mask?" Rudiger asked with an eye roll, "I have inscribed three books that hold over a thousand of pages! All of them speaking about the subject at hand! All the pens I've dried off in my grasp have an important purpose. Plus, I have proof, one of them involves the reports of your brother and mother. Your personality has changed _drastically_ , but in the right way," he looked at Danhauser dead in the eye, "It's over. Tangled in the webs you are, Prince Danhauser… Or should I start addressing you by your _true_ name?"

"You're already calling me by my _real_ name, Rudiger," He countered with a hiss, "I am Danhauser! Proud member and heir of the House of Belial!" He pointed a sharp finger at the exit, "And I want you to get the hell away from me, _now_."

There was no softness in Rudiger's gaze—the Rosicrucian merely looked down at him as if he was a child begging for pity. He wasn't. Instead of lowering his head, he lifted it—a glare etched from his gray eyes. Two emotions are swimming inside his system, blurry anger, and chilling fear. The latter being the dominant of the two.

But he clenched his teeth in an effort to keep his trembling jaw still, staring at those deep emerald eyes feels like he was standing at the entrance of a dark forest. Someone should name a crayon after him.

 _"Is this how you felt, Tobio?"_ Danhauser held himself from laughing loudly, _"Defenseless after encountering something that knows your secrets?"_ It's like Karma decided to finally yank him from the hair. Rosenkreutz did the same thing as Belial did to Ikuse, patiently scheme everything up before going for the attack, and lo and behold, it worked with flying colors.

Belial wasn't ready for this—he'd never expected the Magician to fish out his deepest secret.

 _"But still…!"_ The gray-haired devil fumbled internally, _"That's not enough proof to state that I'm reincarnated… he's hiding something. That must be it. Something that I don't know… that no one knows…"_

"… admit it—you're not Belial. Formerly, you were a _human_ ," Rudiger said through clenched teeth, not breaking eye contact, "just give me your name, and I'll calmly take my leave."

"How many times do I have to repeat myself? My name is Danhauser."

…

…

…

A muscle twitched involuntarily at the corner of his right eye—his mouth formed a rigid grimace. Rudiger snapped his fingers, and once again a small wave of arcane magic flowed throughout the room before vanishing, "I'm pretty sure you knew that I'd make sure no one could eavesdrop on our conversation?" He saw Danhauser's steady nod, "Very well. I won't tell Diehauser a word about this nor anyone from your family. The last thing I ever want to do is shatter their happiness when they discover the unfortunate truth."

"…" He'd expected a 'thank you' for keeping the cat once again inside the bag, but the only thing he'd got was the same old sharp glare. Grunting, he made his way to the door, "Don't push your luck, our business is far from over."

Danhauser pursed his lips, holding back fits of curses, all of them directed to the root of his anger. Suddenly his eyes widened slightly. A small thought of their conversation, clashing with his head, "Hold on a second!"

The silver-haired obeyed, leaving the door hanging open, his eyes jumped to the Devil, "What now?"

"You… you read my updated files?" Danhauser said, "The ones that speak about Lazarus Syndrome, right?"

Rudiger stared with half-lidded eyes, "… What of it?"

"You'd seen the outdated version, too, isn't?" Danhauser asked, "You know, the reason why I died the first time?"

"…" The Upsetting Sorcerer kept his sight fixed on Belial's small stature for a while. Finally, he spoke, "Yes, I'm informed about your lamentable departure. But I won't talk unless I receive something _valuable_ in return."

Danhauser growled, "I see. Goodbye, then."

"…" The silver-haired man remained in place, his hand still resting on the door's border, clenching the chunk of wood, his eyes softened and trembled ever so slightly, his lips quivered as he tried to open his mouth to say something, but only a dry gasp left his throat. He quieted down instantly, "…Farewell."

Danhauser focused on the floor, waiting impatiently for the German to close the exit, seeing the door getting closed followed by tender steps slowly fading away from the corridor was when Danhauser shakily sighed and laid both palms on the table.

…

"Motherfucker!" He slammed both fists on the table. Hard, "He knows. He fucking knows!"

He winced, sparing a look behind his shoulder, seeing the door still locked and not hearing a single sound outside made him sigh with relief, _"For starters, I should stop screeching, Rudiger already wiped out the mute spell, and I doubt these walls are soundproofed…"_ He took deep breaths, trying to calm down, but his breathing came out rapid and shallow, _"This is not working… I'll have to team up with my anxiety it seems. Great."_

He carefully took a seat on his chair, relieved upon doing so, because the way his legs are trembling, there's a possibility for him to accidentally trip, "R-right. Rudiger knows that I died? How? He already tossed his answers, but there must be more. There has to be…!" He fumbled, pulling his gray strands, "The good thing is that he thinks that in my previous life, I'm from this universe, meaning that he doesn't know about my true identity. He doesn't know this is an Ecchi Anime."

Cold sweat glimmered on his furrowed brow, a glass of water would be demanding right now, "That's… pretty much it. He knows that I've been reincarnated, something that I made sure to keep hidden but other than that, nothing else. It's unknown if Rudiger knows about Danhauser's childhood. He knows about his death, though."

He lifted his arm, washing his forehead of the accumulated sweat, "… What I want to know is how he knew about this?"

The question kept repeating over his brain, like an old recorder playing a song. Unfortunately, not a single coherent answer made sense in his mind, immediately tossing it to the imaginary trash can as he kept pursuing the appropriate explanation.

But every time he took hold of a rope—he would eventually fall.

"… Nothing," Danhauser cursed, massaging his scalp to cease his current headache, "I'm just slowly turning myself into a mess, but I can't stop thinking about it, this is something I can't just ignore. I need to focus more."

…

 _"Who the hell are you, Rudiger?"_

* * *

 _"How did this happen?"_ For the fifth time, Rosicrucian kept the question spinning over his head, like a merry-go-round, _"Everything should have run according to my plans! I even predicted multiple routes for this, and all of them had taken me to the same ending! What went wrong?!"_

He folded his arms tightly across his broad chest, furiously walking on the long and elegant corridor and all while staring down at the gray carpet, lost in his inner world, "Could it be true? That's he's, without a doubt, Danhauser Belial? Were all my calculations incorrect from the beginning…?"

He clenched his teeth, firmly shaking his head, "No, no, _no!_ It can't be… he's just dishonest!" He paused, "If so… then why is he in denial?"

"Because he has amnesia," Rudiger gasped at the new voice, quickly turning around to face Lord Belial with his Queen, "Didn't you already know of that?"

"Dear Maou, Diehauser, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" The German brought a hand to his chest, calming his cardiac organ.

"Sorry," The Emperor apologized, his mouth fighting a smirk, "So, found the answers you needed?"

Lowering his hand, Rudiger smiled a little, "All my answers have been answered," He pursed his lips, "Unfortunately, new ones came out from a new light."

"That's troublesome," Diehauser sighed, apparently expecting the outcome, "I'll be honest, I doubt that you'll find more than that since, you know, memory loss."

Pater R.R.C. frowned, _"If you only knew the truth, but I can't say it. Forgive me, friend,"_ His scowl dissolved, swapped by one of his friendly smiles, "You may be right, but I can't yield now, don't you agree?"

The Emperor shrugged a single shoulder, "If you say so, _however_ ," He raised a finger, a warning, "This week it's going to be impossible. I'm taking Dan to visit dad—I'll send you a call when he's free for another visit."

"Ah," Rudiger nodded, "Understandable. Well then, I have important matters to attend. My agenda is beginning to weigh me down by the second. It was a pleasure to be here, Diehauser."

"You really have to leave now?" Diehauser pointed a thumb behind his shoulder, "Mom is helping the maids the put the plates on the table, and uncle is excited to share his 'amazing' adventures."

Rudiger rose his hands up, an apologetic smile blooming on his face, "I don't wish to burden your family with my presence, Diehauser."

"You're not," Lord Belial assured him, "You know that you're always welcome in my territory, right?"

"Thank you," Rudiger voiced out his gratitude, "But unfortunately, I have to decline your offer still, I hope you understand."

Diehauser sighed, pocketing his hands, "That's sad to hear, but I understand. You need someone to take you to the exit? Or have you already memorized the route?"

The Rosicrucian chuckled, "Like the palm of my hand, friend. Don't fret—I can handle this alone."

"What are you babbling about?" Finally, Gilles de Rais, blended in the conversation, much to the German's chagrin, "It would give a wrong _impression_ to the House of Belial to let our _distinguished_ visitor wander around! Here, let me guide you!"

"I appreciate the cordial gesture, Gilles," Rudiger's mouth twitched, "But I rather wish not to drain your time on helping me open a door."

"Nonsense!" Gilles exclaimed stubbornly, smiling, "My duty is to treat our guests like they are in their own humble home. I cannot look the other way while you are here without someone aiding you. Who knows? Maybe you will _accidentally_ trip over the stairs and fall unconscious or bleed to death, and no one would be there to help you out, heh."

"…" Rudiger kept his eyes on those curled lips. The Frenchman would put on a fake smile to hide his true nature from those close to him, such as Diehauser and Calcabrina. But Rosenkreutz knows better, the poor mask he's wearing doesn't hide his inner demon perfectly, it's even in the air, he could take a sniff and shudder at the disgusting aroma.

"…. Don't slow me down, Gilles," Rudiger faced the gray-haired Devil, bowing his head, "I'll take my leave, enjoy your food."

"…" Diehauser slowly nodded, "Thank you. Good day to you, too," The Emperor spun around and took his leave, leaving the Reincarnated Devil duo alone in the corridor.

"Heh," Gilles chuckled, mockingly bowing at him while pointing the exit's location, "After you, _your eminence_."

"How shocking, and here I thought that all your manners perished along with your dignity, _Bluebeard_ ," The Bishop growled, brushing past him.

"Ah!" The Queen followed after him, gasping while pressing the back of his palm over his forehead, "So malicious! I am _gifting_ my assistance, and this is the treatment I receive!? Ungrateful!"

"Get to the point, Bluebeard," Rudiger snapped, knowing full well that the former Marshall wouldn't take his words to heart, "I awfully doubt you decided to do your good deed of the day by twisting the knob for me."

A pregnant silence fell like a wall of bricks, the fake and devilish smile that Gilles had worn disappeared, replaced by a thin line, "What were you talking about with the Young Master?"

"That's none of your business," Rudiger responded harshly, "This is between Prince Danhauser and me, stick your nose where it belongs."

"Ah, but one of my many tasks is to keep an eye out for the members of this household," Gilles stated, "And I will admit that I find it bizarre that you would find any interest over Young Master."

"The toddler is fine," Rudiger answered, not sparing him a look, "And I wanted to know more about his strange case. That's all you need to hear."

"I see," Gilles caressed his blue beard, humming, "Then what was that troubled look you had when you left his room?"

"…"

"What is wrong? Cat got your tongue?" He cackled, "You are not speaking, are you not? Perhaps I should try and seek the answers from him myself? I have received daring comments about my _immense_ skills in making children spit the truth, heh."

Rosenkreutz halted, "Don't you dare," he spun around, coming face to face with de Rais, facing his deep blue orbs with his green pools, "Don't you dare lay a finger on that child!"

The blue-haired man chuckled, shrugging off his glare, "Now, now, why the sudden rage? You are acting as if he was your own son, Rudiger," A sudden grin emerged from the Queen, following from behind, "Speaking of which! How is he doing? Last time I heard he was _so_ sick! I hope he is healthy once again!"

"…" fists began to clench, and his jaw rooted, "…You, you know what'd happened, Bluebeard."

"Ah, oui, of course," The Frenchman glanced down at his nails, suddenly worried about his 'manicure,' "A tragic tale, I dare to say. I am tempted to ask, but, what are your objectives now?"

"Move on. Simple as that."

"Hmm," Satisfied with his fingernails, he spared the Magician a look, "Move on? How so? Neglecting the catastrophe of your world is a challenging task. Knowing you, you would plan ahead," his grin once again appeared, a mischievous one, "Now? How is the dame, eh? Months? Weeks until your new child leaves your significant other's womb?"

"I'm not betrothed, and I don't plan to pass through that event again."

"Ah, so you shall stay on the first step?" Gilles giggled, placing a hand on his chest, "If you _so_ desire, it would be my honor to give some advice, free of charge, of course, heh."

The German shot him a hard look, "Why of all people—would I accept the advice of a _child murderer_?"

The Frenchman groaned, "Still sticking to the past I see. I am reformed, you know? Your words wound my fragile heart."

Rudiger suppressed a scoff, _"A murderer is always a murderer, Bluebeard."_

"Giving me the cold shoulder, now?" The silence was his response, "You do not have to follow my piece of advice."

The silver-haired tightened his jaw and ceased his movements, facing the butler, "With all due respect, Bluebeard. You came here seeking an answer—I already gave you one. Now kindly leave and stop wasting our sacred time."

"…"

"Stare or don't, you won't get anything."

Glare and spit, it was all the blue-haired man would do towards him. The only thing that moved was his firm jaw, camouflaged by his facial hair. His eyes were hard-rimmed and sharp as if he lost the ability to move his eyeballs, as if they'd rusted into place.

Gilles flashed a smile. While the curled lips looked convincing—welcoming even—his cheeks were not so compromising. It was a requirement of de Rais' job as Head Butler. Mostly behind the scenes, he would let his face fall into stoic mode, allow his mouth to morph into a thin line while slowly healing his cheeks from soreness—or mostly when Rudiger visits the Housecarl.

He adores this family. He loathes the visitors. Simple as that. Just a few made a leakage from Gilles' "wants to kill" list.

The Upsetting Sorcerer—unfortunately—lists at the top five.

"I _apologize_ then," Gilles bowed one last time, "I shall take my leave. Good day to you."

Finally, the German broke eye contact—not another glance spared to the Frenchman. He has important things to address—such as Danhauser's(?) strange conversation—then starting a childish quarrel with a serial killer.

He reached the exit of the manor, twisting the knob softly and—

"Oh! If you are considerate, do kiss the forehead of your son for me! I will be _so_ grateful!"

—with a popped vein followed by a silent snarl, he roughly opened the door, and with the same sentiment, he closed it.

* * *

"How was your day, Ravel?"

"Great!" The Phenex chirped, "Today I've learned a lot! We had to memorize a lot of weird things, but it was fun nonetheless. Do you know why they're showing this to us?"

Danhauser tilted his head, as he kept walking towards the route of the school gates. "Perhaps to mold your mentality to reach levels similar to that of a Tacticians? School's purpose is to help us become good Kings for our Peerage."

"Oh," Ravel looked down, "I see…"

"Something wrong, Ravel?"

She began fidgeting, her eyes wandering from left to right, "I-I don't want to be a King…"

Belial glanced down at her, "Why? I think you'd be a good leader."

Phenex kept her blue orbs on the ground, "Thank you, but, I don't see myself becoming a King—I was thinking about joining my brother's peerage," she suddenly looked up, beaming, "And you, Prince Danhauser? How was your class?"

 _"Changing the subject, eh?"_ Dahauser broke eye contact, scratching his ear, "It was nice, the same thing, but good."

Honestly? Since the day Diehauser enrolled his younger brother into this school, he was screwed up. The reason behind all this mess was that, here in the Underworld, and the slight chance of Heaven and Grigori to share the same tradition, too, is that they write in Hebrew, the same mother tongue that was used to write the Holy Bible with a feather quill.

Danhauser doesn't know shit about Hebrew. Well, now he does, thanks to his family, mostly Cleria and Diehauser, who lent him a hand to translate the books. He'd tried to ask his Uncle and Mother, too, but the former openly admitted that he doesn't know how to read or write, while the latter immediately neglected the assistance, ending the conversation with a tight knot.

But damn. It was boring as hell! Learning a different language is something that Danhauser wouldn't mind the least, but having an ability that lets you speak all of them fluently, he has tried to ignore the issue of the writing part. Unfortunately, Cleria and Diehauser decided to team up and force him to learn the alphabet. It's like Hebrew, and Belial didn't share a mutual spark of understanding. He'd immediately fall asleep in each class, easily scoring a hard look from his cousin and a deadpan stare from his brother. Oh, the joy.

He'd walked with the wrong foot at the beginning of the semester, but slowly, he began improving his calligraphy. Mostly when Sairaorg aided him up in some parts. It seems that the ability of 'Language' only helped him speak any language, but read them? Yeah, good luck on that one.

It was still fun, though.

…

 _"How does he know?"_ He felt how the memories of the last conversation with Rudiger flashed over his mind, like an old movie tinted in black and white. He remembers the smug look the German had worn in that scene, like the face of a cocky detective that discovered the true identity of the infamous Jack the Ripper. He only needed a brown trench coat and chewing tobacco to complete the costume.

"Through fire, nature is reborn whole," Danhauser rubbed his chin, frowning, "Weird."

"Excuse me?" Ravel tilted her head, "Did you say something?"

"Not at all, Ravel," Danhauser smiled down at her, "Just thinking about some things."

"Oh. Okay!" Once again, she closed her eyes and hummed a song.

Seeing how he wore off Ravel's attention, Belial focused once again, frowning, making sure the blonde didn't crash with a student passing by, _"Is he really not going to tell my family?"_ He sank deeper, his brows drawn together, _"Bullshit, he already has something to blackmail me, and he already stated that he's going to pay me another visit. I need more information about him—two can play that game, Rudiger."_

Danhauser suddenly crashed, nearly taking the air out of his lungs, rubbing his stomach, he spared a glance downwards, quickly spotting a head full of golden strands.

"Ravel? What's wrong?" He took a deep breath, seeing how the blonde didn't answer back, "Ravel? What's—"

The girl tugged on his shirt, raising her arm to point something from far away, struggling to keep her arm from shaking.

"Oh," Danhauser froze, finally locating the place where Ravel was signaling. A group of boys—sharing the similar age as Belial—surrounded one that was older than them, his back plastered on the wall as his hair blocked his eyes. All of them sharing a laugh that made Ravel's skin crawl.

They weren't helping the teenager to stand up, either. In fact, they were making sure he stayed on the floor, like a dog begging for petting.

 _"This is not good,"_ Danhauser pursed his lips, _"The only people getting bullied nowadays either are Low-Class devils, or Sairaorg…"_

Once again, Phenex tugged on his shirt with an unsteady smile, "I-I know another route to reach the gates," she said in a whisper, "It's a long one, but at least we're going to reach it safely…"

Danhauser winced after listening to the word 'defected' directed to the bullied Devil, _"It's Sairaorg."_ It has to be—there's not another Devil whose Demonic Power is variable visible.

He glanced at the young girl, her blue pools _begging_ him to leave it and walk to another direction. Her lower lip quivered after hearing the hyenas' endlessly laugh at their prey.

Once again, fear found her. It spoke to her in its cackling voice. It told her legs to go wobbly, her stomach to wobble and her heart to throb. Ravel's mother always told her that there was nothing to fear but fear itself, but still, she couldn't silence its voice.

Danhauser couldn't blame her. She didn't want to be assaulted by them in the future. He also did the same trick when he was a mere toddler, afraid of slowly turning into the next punching bag—he'd just walked away and acted as if nothing happened. Not even telling the teachers.

That was when he was a single-minded child, though.

"Ravel, take my bag and leave," The gray-haired Devil said, lending her his school bag, "I'll catch up to you when I'm done."

Before Danhauser could walk away, the girl grabbed him by his sleeve, "W-wait! You can't!" The Phenex hissed, yanking him, "It's dangerous! They could hurt you!"

"Maybe," Danhauser sighed, biting his cheek, "But I can't ignore the fact that Sairaorg is getting punched," He offered the girl a smile, "It was nice knowing you."

Ravel blinked,"Eh?"

"Who knows what's going to happen when I go there? Maybe I'll turn into another victim to satisfy their pride," he explained, the laughter in the background not fading away, "It's better if you just stopped talking to me, they're going to use you as bait because of my actions. If they don't know about you and me being friends, then you'll be safe."

"B-but—!"

"Leave my bag on the gates, if they steal it, well…" Danhauser winked at her, "Now I'll have an excuse for not doing homework. Don't be like them, yeah?"

Danhauser grabbed her soft hand and broke away from the girl's grip, followed by a pat on her golden mane. Nothing else to address he started walking toward the group of Devils.

"…" Ravel stood in place, hugging his bag, cursing herself for not following him and lending a hand, after all, she still owes him for helping her on practicing her magic. "Maybe… I can do something…!" The girl nodded firmly, spinning on her heels and rushing to another direction.

And he walked. He walked as he kept taking deep breaths, the hysterical laughter slowly becoming louder for each step he'd offered. He clenched his fists as determination drove him on. He's not good at talking with people—he doesn't know how to handle this or negotiate with them. Even when they're humans, but we are talking about Devils. Creatures whose point of view are far more different than a human.

"Just let the conversation flow, I guess." Danhauser sighed, standing behind the one who's supposed to be the leader, he harrumphed. Seeing how they didn't hear him, he repeated the action, this time louder.

"Huh?" He spun around, coming face to face with Belial, frowning, "What?"

"…" Danhauser's eyes wandered to the child on the floor—he regretted looking. It was Sairaorg—his eyes were downcast, but he could easily spot a black eye on the right side, followed by bruises and his ebony hair disordered. Deeply he wished there wasn't blood staining his skin or clothes. If Misla found him in this state, she would faint on the spot or worse, fall into a coma.

Suddenly, he heard someone snapping his fingers, "Wait. I know you! Danhauser Belial, right?"

"Right."

"We finally found you!" He grinned, his herd turning around to address Belial correctly. Seeing Danhauser's curled brow, made him go further, "To keep it brief, our father's work with your brother."

This time, the gray-haired Devil frowned, "Really now?" All of them nodded, enthusiastically, "So, they're also involved in politics?"

"Yeah, that!" The boy nodded, moving to Belial's side and wrapping an arm around his shoulder, startling him, "Or how I prefer to call us, the future _heroes_ of the Underworld…!" Everyone cheered, except from two Devils.

"…" Danhauser pursed his lips, Bael was defiantly listening to the conversation, but the defected Devil decided to stay silent, who knows what he's thinking about his first friend. "I see," He muttered, gently pushing his arm away, "From what House do you belong?"

"House of Purson!" The boy answered proudly, "A pleasure meeting you!"

"…" Belial nodded at Sairaorg, "Why are you attacking Sairaorg?" He obviously knew the reason behind this, but maybe, if he distracts them from Bael it'd be enough for Misla to appear after noticing his son not standing outside the school gates.

He doesn't want to fight. Similar to Sairaorg, the two of them can kick their asses with a single swipe, but…

Purson blinked, before sending him a smirk, "Ah, so you know the name of the trash?" Pocking Bael with the tip of his shoe, he chuckled, "Well, we heard a few rumors, which involved you and trash over here. They were saying you were talking with him!" He shot Sairaorg a glare, "We couldn't believe it, they were obviously fake words spread by idiots. So, we made sure no one teaches him a lesson anymore."

Sairsorg gasped, finally looking up, "That's not true! You damn liar!"

"Shut up!" He snapped with a kick, "Just lay there and don't—!"

"Stop that."

"Huh?" Purson addressed Belial, surprised, "Sorry, what?"

"Stop kicking Sairaorg," Danhauser repeated while cursing in his inner world for failing on protecting Bael, "And never do that, again."

Purson's heir stayed quiet, his squad parroting his actions. He chuckled, "… You're joking, right?" He pointed a sharp finger at the bruised boy, "Have you forgotten who he is? Our parents told us to either stay away from him to make sure we didn't catch his disease or show him a lesson!" He moved closer to Belial, glaring, "Are you telling me those rumors are true, then? Are you friends with the trash?"

"…" Danhauser walked away from him, and stood in front of Sairaorg, kneeling, "Do they sting?"

Sairaorg managed a small grin, rubbing his arm, "No. They don't punch _that_ hard."

Belial returned the gesture, offering a hand, "Yeah, let's get out of here, I think I have a Phoenix Tear in my bag that we can use to—!"

Danhauser 's reaction was subconscious, automatic. He used his palm to parry the punch of the brawler, pinning him in place.

 _"That was cool, I guess,"_ Danhauser hummed, digging his fingers deeper into Purson's skin, _"Seems my training is blooming fruits. Woohoo."_

He felt how the child tried to reclaim his hand once again, cursing, "L-Let go!"

"You shouldn't have done that," Belial faced Purson's Heir, standing up with his grip still intact, "What should I do to you?" A part of him was ordering him to punch him, to show a lesson and scare the gang, and for an odd reason, he also wanted to see how strong he is, by fighting the group of brats.

The band froze in place, shocked after witnessing the bold move of their leader, their eyes just widened even more after seeing the outcome. They didn't move.

 _"I think the answer is obvious,"_ Danhauser sighed, shaking his head. He Stretched his fingers, thus freeing the child from the strong grip. _"Damn, I didn't want this to turn into a fight, how unlucky."_

"W-What?" Son of Purson muttered, looking around his hand to spot any injuries, his group immediately moving to his side, concerned.

 _"I can't attack him,"_ Danhauser clicked his tongue, returning the boy's glare, _"If I fill them with bruises maybe they're going to tell their parents and do something to affect my Housecarl politically. Plus, they're brats. I'm a grown-up man inside the body of a child… It wouldn't feel great to punch a bunch of kids—I don't see where's the pride in that, but if I have to, then I'm sorry."_

"Luck! _Dumb_ luck!" The boy snapped, "Don't you understand what mess you just jumped in? You're not getting out of here. Should have just stayed quiet."

 _"Time to look cringy,"_ Belial took a deep breath and tried to look taller than the group, a cheap method of intimidation, "I won't take pleasure in taking each one of you down. None. But it seems it is necessary. You guys love hurting him, and I can't allow that anymore."

…

"… Y-you can't fight all of us!" The boy said after a brief silence, "He deserves it—he's at our mercy, you know? Because of us, the rest are no longer sparing him a single glare!"

"Giving mercy is good until it is proven to hurt the innocent, then see me come out fighting. I'll take each one of you out without breaking a sweat," Belial studied them, chuckling, "I haven't even swung a punch yet, and I see you shaking. How weak you are."

"Danhauser…" Sairaorg stood beside him, a hesitant hand on his shoulder, "I think that's enough…"

"Shut your trap bastard!" The group took a step backward, feeling as if they were getting choked, "Just… shut it!"

"I see you cannot control yourself. Fine then, I'll control you instead," Danhauser frowned at their reactions, "Don't look at me as if I am a monster. This isn't cruelty—this is mercy and justice in one dish. Fight me and you know I'll triumph, or maybe you like betting? It's a sin, you know, as is greed."

 **"There's no need for that, Prince Belial,"** Everyone followed the strict voice, the teacher stood behind the group with Ravel behind his legs, glaring at Purson, "Prince Purson, would you and your group kindly follow me? The headmaster would like to have a word with each one of you."

His bottom lip trembled, clenching his fist, "…Yes," The group forcefully followed the steps of the older Devil, leaving the two quiet boys and the fidgeting girl alone.

"You overdid it," Sairaorg commented, facing him with a hard look, "Perhaps harsher than they were with me."

"Harsher? Should I remind you _who_ gave you a black eye?"

"I was talking about the comments. In all honesty, I thought that you were about to punch them back."

"I wasn't."

"I know, but still, just don't be like them, alright?"

Danhauser groaned, rubbing his temple, "Fine, _sorry_ , next time I'll let them punch you more."

"I appreciate your help, deeply," Sairaorg shook his head, "But I think it's time for that to stop. I can no longer hide on someone else's back. I need to do something. It's time for a change."

"What're you going to do?"

Bael's eyes sharpened, "I'll reclaim my status as an Heir back," declared the teenager, "I'm going to challenge my brother, Magdaran, for my title. I wish you will be there when that happens."

 _"So, it has begun, the tale of the Strongest Youth begins,"_ Danhauser smiled, "Sure, looking forward to it." He nodded at his bruises, "In my bag, I have a Phoenix Tear, we can use it to heal your—"

Ravel joined the conversation, a potion wrapped around her delicate fingers, "I-I'm Ravel Phenex, it's an honor meeting you, Prince Bael," She bowed her head, offering her Phoenix Tear, "Please, take this, it'll heal your wounds fast."

Sairaorg blinked, shooting a glance at Danhauser who shrugged, slowly taking the vial from her hands, "Thank you, but please, call me just by my name."

Ravel looked up and beamed, "Okay."

"Ah, you call him by his name, yet you add an honorific to mine? I'm jealous."

She stuck her tongue out, before smiling, "That was amazing what you did there. I wish I could do the same thing, but I was scared…"

"You brought a teacher, that was far better than what I did, smart move, too," He complimented her, patting her head, "You do understand that maybe they'll go after you, right?"

The blonde turned dangerous, crossing her arms, "I don't care, I'll tell Papa if they try anything!"

"If you say so," Danhauser chuckled, seeing her hands are empty he began looking around, "Ravel, where are our school bags?"

The girl tilted her head, "They're at the gates, we should go before something bad happens to them. Maybe our parents are waiting for us."

"Sounds like a plan," Belial turned to Bael, ignoring the vibration coming from his right pocket, "Coming?"

Sairaorg nodded, "Gladly, mom must be worried sick by now."

"Lead the way, Ravel," the girl nodded before walking away, followed by Danhauser and Sairaorg. Meanwhile, the former fished a hand inside his pocket, taking the newish device, he'd bought in Kuoh: a phone.

Writing the password successfully a message immediately popped on the screen—he knew who it was. He only had one contact, after all, the messenger was there when he'd purchased the two phones.

[Thank you.]

Danhauser's mouth twitched, holding back a smile, it was brief, but the sentiment was evident, especially when that person has you on her black list, humming he pocketed the device back when the blonde called out his name—with honorific included—entrancing him in the conversation between teenagers.

 _"No problem, Sae."_

* * *

[Rudiger, are you sure about this?] The blond said, behind a crystal ball, a mix of emotions emerging inside his stomach.

"It's him! It has to be _him_!" The German insisted, walking in circles around the dark room, the Oracle barely lighting up the place, "The clues keep taking me there! This is amazing, we finally found him!"

[…] He let Rudiger's words sink in, watching how he moved around the darkened room like a caged tiger, [… Allow me to repeat everything,] he began, catching the Bishop's attention, [The news of a child getting up from the grave has spread around the Underworld, you were there, you saw it with your _own_ eyes.]

"With my very _own_ eyes!" Rudiger parroted, inching closer to the crystal ball with a huge grin.

[… And the reason why he once again breathes life is because the soul of Ludwig made it inside the child's body?] He concluded, seeing the eager nod of the Rosicrucian, [This is the 'reincarnation' you keep talking about?]

"Indeed, it is!" Pater R.R.C. laughed, he could feel his green eyes getting wet, "Heavens! Today is a _good_ day!"

[Then where is he, Rudiger?] The teenager said in a whisper, [Why Isn't Ludwig in the room too?]

"…" Rudiger remained quiet, slowly taking a seat and lying his elbows on the table and fingers interlocked, "… It's strange. When I introduced myself to him, he had the wildest shocked expression I had ever seen, meaning he recognized me. But when I socialized with him, asked him if he knew something about my private way of living," Rudiger balled his fists, "He said no."

[… Are you sure it's Ludwig, then?] He wished to withdraw his words after meeting Rudiger's cold gaze, [What if… he isn't?]

"He is!" Rudiger hissed with a faint growl, "It has been a year since Ludwig died! Followed by Prince Danhauser, thus the soul of my son made it inside Belial's body, triggering the body once again! It makes sense—he's my son after all!"

[But he was acting different,] The Longinus User countered, [His attitude, his personality, is different, right?]

"…Right," Rosenkreutz rested his head in his hands, "He acted in denial."

The blond's expression softened, seeing the Magician sink on his chair made him regret his words. He wished he was there to comfort him, [You don't know how much I miss seeing your son. I really do, but we must embrace the truth, he's now in a better place. I am so sorry.]

…

"…" His shoulders slumped, and his eyes cast down in a mournful gaze, his fingers slowly yanking his silver strands, "…I."

[Rudiger, are you alright?] The teenager tensed, [You want me to go there? I'm taking a rest from a mission, but I can visit you right—!]

"No, no, no!" The Upsetting Sorcerer's eyes shifted away from the crystal ball and became glazed with a glossy layer of wetness, "You don't have to. I'm completely fine, really!" He laughed, rubbing the corner of his eyes.

The human wasn't convinced, [… Stop lying, please…]

He bit his lip tightly in an attempt to conceal any sound that wanted to escape from his mouth, "… Just give me a second to think."

His heart sank, but reluctantly he nodded, [Of course. Take your time.]

"…" The Magician began wandering in the library closed in his head, a vast ocean to many wanderers. For him, an angry train with no intention of stopping for passengers, _"It has to be my son! That perplexed expression he'd worn back then is enough proves!" He glared at the desk under his hands, teeth gritted, "But out of nowhere, he began acting hostile when I'd caught him red-handed, but why would he do that? Doesn't he remember our time together?"_

…

"Unless…" For a second, his grief was halted, replaced by recognition, eyes wide as dinner plates, those green pools focused on the wall. He understands now.

 _[Oh no…]_ He bit his tongue, watching how the silver-haired man slowly began rising from his seat, mouth agape, [Rudiger, look, you need to—!]

He was interrupted by the harsh sound of the drawer, Rudiger immediately pulled out a piece of chalk. He turned to the sphere, "Come here."

Before the blond could speak his mind, Rudiger placed him under his armpit—the German hastened his speed to the nearest blackboard inside the room.

He stabbed his chalk on the blackboard, "Reincarnation! The ability to survive and flight from death by having their soul transported into another body, possessing it..." He continued, each word he uttered, it appeared on the board. There was _nothing_ that could stop him from writing.

The Longinus User was confused, while his handwriting is similar to a professional doctor, he could understand a few letters. He was writing in Hebrew, [Rudiger…]

"Just a second, please!" Rudiger had his legs bent, writing on the last space he had on the board, clicking his tongue, he grabbed it by the frame and pushed it away, ignoring the sound of objects falling to the ground. He began scrawling the wall, "… However, it seems the shell carries the soul of Ludwig and the spirit of Prince Danhauser, the spirit and soul merged into one, thus meshing their personalities, their ambitions, their memories, their… everything!" He took a step backward, taking deep breaths, admiring his art, "Eureka. This is why Ludwig was acting that way!"

[…] He squinted his eyes, trying to decipher the horrible handwriting of Rudiger, […The two of them fused and formed a new person?]

"Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes!" Pater R.R.C. snatched the sphere from his armpit, "Now do you comprehend, Dulio? My appearance was enough to propel a few memories of Ludwig and myself. I just needed to give more intel! _Bah_! Foolish on my part!"

[Rudiger… you're just making this up,] Gesualdo sighed, rubbing his nose, [Please, just stop. You're just hurting yourself.]

"What?! I'm _not_ a liar, Dulio!" The Magician snapped, lifting the crystal ball, "It's written there! Meaning it's the truth!"

[Just because you wrote it doesn't mean it's a fact,] The Exorcist responded, [This is just a theory of yours. No one can make a soul or a spirit. You should know this.]

"We were incorrect back then," The German waved off the Italian's words, "Now this," He gestured to the wall, "This is the answer to our problems!" He paused taking a deep breath, chest puffed. He brought the crystal ball closer to his face, smiling, "Now, I need your assistance on this, would you join me in rescuing my son from his body?"

…

…

…

[Send another letter to the Underworld's headquarters. We need to talk face to face, Rudiger,] Rosenkreutz's eye quivered, [You need immediate help. You are not thinking straight right now—I can guarantee that you don't even know what you're saying, your theory has multiple holes on it and…]

Every time his mouth moved, the German grew angrier. White knuckles from clenching his fist too hard, and gritted teeth from the struggle to remain silent, his hunched form manifested an enmity that was like acid —burning, slicing, _potent_. And suddenly he didn't know what happened, Dulio's voice disappeared after hearing something shattering around his palm.

He glanced down, startled after seeing the crystal ball gone from his grasp, replaced by shards of different sizes buried around his hand. Something wet began coming from his skin. It began to sting after keeping his eyes locked over his digits for an amount of time.

"Ah, looks like I lost signal, pitiful," Rudiger shrugged, swaying his hand in an attempt to dispose of the fragments, "I apologize, Dulio, but I can't let your pessimistic words contaminate my will. I won't give up like you," He spared a longing look to the wall, "It seems I'm alone in this quest, the attempt is risky, but the reward is worth it."

He moved closer to his exhausting work, hands behind the back, wincing, "Before I go further, I think the best idea is to seek more data about Prince Danhauser," he frowned, "Unfortunately, I have talked with all his relatives," he paused, smiling, "I misspoke. It seems someone was away from my radar. I think it's time to pay this 'Kuoh Town' a visit."

* * *

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Yano – Thank you.**

 **Guest – Honestly? I was thinking about this, but I prefer if Sairaorg had it. I like the guy; I don't want to take the thing that makes him badass.**

* * *

 **Well, that took longer than I thought. Sorry, readers but life sucks. School truly slowed me down. Hopefully, next chapter's going to be uploaded sooner. Honestly, this chapter left a bad taste in my mouth; I don't know why, maybe because the scene of Sairaorg felt somewhat forced in my eyes, I hope you guys found pleasant the chapter either way.**

 **There we have it. Rudiger Rosenkreutz knows, in my eyes, he's like Ajuka the difference being strength and race. I honestly had fun writing him, since we don't know much about his past, I can mold him however I wish. This is one of them, it's canon that Rudiger had a son, and he died, the name, however, is made-up. I also changed his eyes colors from blue to green, it's stated on the wikia.**

 **There's actually a reason of why Rudiger knows about Danhauser being reincarnated, more proof, something kept in the dark. You'll see.**

 **Dulio also did a brief appearance, in canon, he knows about Rudiger, but don't fret. He's not going to appear until canon.**

 **I was also thinking about familiars. And one of them came to my mind, Tiamat. Yes, yes. Overused the dragon she is. But I don't want to make an OC Familiar. We're going to see Oc's in the future (Diehauser's Peerage), I prefer not to drown you guys with a shit ton of Oc's. But honestly, while she's overused, she's strong and defiantly someone that Danhauser would pick up, better be ready for the future nuff said.**

 **Or maybe I won't give him a familiar. Jin's already on the Peerage, maybe with him is more than enough.**

 **Thanks for the reviews and your patience, guys. See you later.**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Dis.**


	12. Dis

**Chapter 12: Dis.**

* * *

"Let me understand this whole mess," Tobio leaned on the sofa with his arms wrapped behind his seat, glare focused on the gray-haired devil, "My granny was a member of the Himejima Clan, a small society whose purpose is to purify evil creatures such as these _'Youkai'_?"

"Yes," His master answered, knocking aside the cold look, "You were a descendant."

While Danhauser wasn't in the mood for answering all the questions that were aggravating the Mutated Knight, Belial had promised to clear all his thoughts. Surprisingly—for him—conversing with someone else regarding divergent issues is helping him, not by a huge margin, but fairly well to keep his mind clean from the words of a certain German.

"Were?" The Japanese repeated, his eyes moving along with the Longinus Dog, Jin, and the shapeshifted dragon, Bova, running in circles around Danhauser's room.

"Remember, you just said _evil creatures_ , Devils _are_ evil creatures, therefore you're right now one of their enemies," Danhauser sighed, shaking his head, "Sorry about that, by the way."

Tobio rolled his eyes, "Eh, whatever, the bastards didn't exactly care for me anyway, so what gives?"

"Why would you jump to that conclusion?" Siegfried asked, bored after watching the dragon and dog chasing one another, "Perhaps they didn't know about your existence. Just as Master said, you were their descendant, meaning that your grandmother kept her distance from them for an amount of time."

"Actually, I phrased that wrong," The Belial rubbed his neck, "You are still a descendant of the Clan, sure, but they'll deny your existence completely after turning yourself into a Devil."

 _"His Sacred Gear may or may not play a role there…"_ Danhauser targeted the Black Dog, for an odd reason, the Five Principal Clans have a strict personality. He even dared to call them racist. A good example is one of Tobio's cousins, Akeno Himejima, who was declared as an abomination by her own Clan.

A similar fate fell upon Sona's Queen shoulders, Tsubaki from the Shinra Clan, just by being born with her Sacred Gear, Mirror Alice. Her own Clan behaved antagonistically with the girl. This may be the reason why Ageha Ikuse isolated herself from the Clan, to make sure Tobio doesn't go through the same treatment.

He could inform his newest chess piece, true, but he fears that he may start growing a grudge towards his godly artifact and his hostility toward the dog may damage their relationship and inhibit Canis Lykaon's Balance Breaker.

"Now it makes sense," Siegfried nodded, smiling at Tobio, "I have to say, your former Faction, the Himejimas, act identically to the Church."

Similar to his eyebrows, the Japanese sank deeper on the couch, "How so?"

"They eliminate creatures that can harm humanity," He answered nonchalantly, "Plus they have multiple headquarters."

"I wouldn't call it _headquarters_ ," Danhauser countered, "More like 'allies fighting for a similar purpose.' I doubt a Himejima would be allowed live or enter the Doumon's territories unless it's important, but hey, maybe I'm wrong. I don't know how they solve things."

"You know who the leader is?" Tobio asked, glancing up at the roof, "The Himejima Clan, I mean."

"No, I don't," Danhauser lied. _"Either his cousin or the one who'd chased after Akeno is the leader of the Clan."_

Slash Dog clicked his tongue, gently slamming a fist on the cozy seat, "Damn." He sighed, rubbing his nose, digesting everything that his Master had explained from beginning to end.

The room fell into silence, each one of them minding their own business. Danhauser began shuffling and glancing around his habitation, waiting for someone to bring another subject to talk about. Unfortunately, no one seemed enthusiastic to converse.

 _"Come on, someone?"_ Danhauser's focus landed on Tobio, who was occupied on discussing with himself, then at Siegfried who sat beside him, arms folded, legs outstretched and eyes closed. Jin and Bova still fooling around, or in Bova's self-defense, trying to duel the canine.

 _"Sometimes, I wish I could read minds,"_ He harrumphed behind a clenched fist, "Is there any questions you have Tobio?"

"…" Tobio stayed quiet, shooting Belial a look that lasted three seconds, "Nope. Not at all."

"Okay."

…

"Actually…" The Longinus User trailed off, ensnaring Danhauser's attention, "I do have a question…"

"Oh? What is it?"

The brunet tried to follow the two playful creatures with his light gray eyes, "Hey, uh, Bova, right? Can I ask you something?"

The Dragon gridlocked, sending one last growl at the dog before looking at the owner of the voice, "What?"

"Are you in the Peerage, too?"

The dragon shapeshifted back to his gargantuan form. "No."

Tobio let Jin jump over his thigh, smiling, he scratched Jin's neck, chuckling whenever the dog expulsed whines of approvance. "Are you going to join…?"

"…" The dragon, disregarding Ikuse's curiosity, continued to stare at him with red orbs honed with wariness, studying intensely his body language rather than his words. Finally, he blinked those red, slitted eyes, followed by a grunt, "Maybe. I don't know how dad and my brothers would feel if I joined you guys. Even if they accepted, I wouldn't join _so_ easily."

"Oh?" Danhauser curved an eyebrow, "Having you in my Peerage would be actually amazing."

Bova laughed, "Heh-heh-heh. Want me in your ranks? Cute." He smashed both fists together. "The only way you'll recruit me is the _Dragon way_. I don't plan on turning myself into your servant unless you show me you're worthy enough."

"Haven't we fought enough to prove my worthiness?" Danhauser said amusingly.

Bova pouted, "Yeah, but all those fights ended up in a draw! This time, someone will _fall_ unconscious."

Belial had to fend off the urge of flinching in front of his Peerage, he couldn't find a comeback to oppose Bova's choice of words, the dragon is, without a single doubt, correct in his statement. Every time Danhauser brawled with Bova, he would make sure to slap a deadline in the fight as soon as possible, for a good reason: Bova's Outrage Mode, which Danhauser's frightened of.

Nonetheless, of all that, Danhauser shook his head and winked at the dragon, "Anytime, big guy."

"Is he fucking serious…" whispered Tobio, wide-eyed.

"Who would win? The Dragon or the Devil?" inquired Siegfried, "An intriguing question, I dare to say so myself."

"No, it isn't." Bova grinned, never looking away from those gray orbs, "Baby imp here wouldn't stand a chance."

"Don't listen to this overgrown lizard." Danhauser returned the facial expression, "The only thing he could beat is a glass of warm milk."

Bova's tail lashes back and forth excitedly behind him, thumping powerfully into the narrow walls, forcing both Knights to hang their heads when the chunk of muscle moved toward them. "Heh! I'll enjoy wiping that grin out of your face!"

"Okay, boss lost his mind." He turned to the silver-haired Knight. "Aren't you going to stop them?"

Siegfried kept his eyes on the two, "Why? I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious about this duel, besides…" He gazed downwards, "I would like to know how much a dragon and a devil can bleed."

"…What?"

"Nevermind that," mumbled Siegfried, facing his King once more. "Something else you wish to discuss, master?"

The King broke eye contact, "Back to business, then," he scratched his scalp, sighing, "You guys finished training?" Seeing them nod, made the Belial hum, "Okay, then go to Kuoh and spread flyers, after that, you have the day practically free, I'd recommend you practicing a little more just in case, but do as you wish."

"I'll give you two a hand," Bova walked to the doors, most likely not taking a 'no' for an answer, "I'll be outside."

Danhauser smiled, waving at the retreating dragon, "Dismissed." He spun around and laid his hands on the table, grinning, _"Damn I always wanted to say that."_

"Just one last thing," Slash Dog said with a raised hand, pry into locate the fitting words, finding none, he groaned and addressed the elephant in the room, "Any pieces of information from my… classmates? Anything?"

"…" Danhauser bit his tongue. He perfectly knows the status of the missing students and unmasked the one devising from the shadows, but should he tell him?

"Anything at all?" Once again, the brunet desperately repeated, taking a step closer.

"They're alive."

Tobio's heart stopped beating for a second. Lost in words, he muttered incoherent things, "W-What?"

"They're alive," Danhauser confirmed with a deep sigh, whirling around to look at his servant directly in the eye. He could see hope sparkling in those light-gray orbs. Unfortunately, Belial wasn't done. "However, we don't know who's the leader, the name of their little group, and their purpose. For now, we'll keep ourselves low and stay calm."

The shine disappeared from his eyes. "I can't stay calm while my friends are in trouble!" Slash Dog barked, "We need to do something! I…I can't just sit here with arms folded."

"And we're doing something," Danhauser countered, eliciting a frown from the Longinus User, "We're training, remember? I'd sworn that I'll keep you and Sae safe from those terrorists. They'll come back, I'm sure of it. I urge you get combat ready when the fickle finger of fate points at us."

After listening to his assurances, Tobio rubbed his temple "I… maybe… couldn't we just ask the Underworld's headquarters to help us out?"

"Why would they?" Immediately, the King dismissed the option, much to Tobio's dismay, "I'm sorry, but the Underworld has nothing to do with the Luxury Case, unless you have a _huge_ offer to give in return, then maybe you'll _peek_ their attention. The Underworld is only getting involved when they invade a Devil's territory. Chin up. They're still breathing, why else would they capture them?"

 _"All I ask is patience, damn it."_ He didn't like to play the fool, but he has no other option left. If he somehow told his cousin about this, then surely, she'll get suspicious, how come a teenager, who hasn't watched the news for who-knows-how-long, identified the group behind all this chaos? When professionals went to investigate the strange case of the missing students?

Belial did promise he'll lend his servant a hand when the time comes, but for now, the best course would be to tread lightly, and in his _own_ way.

"…" The brunet chewed his lip, hands curled into trembling fists. He ignored Jin's snuggles, "… I get it. I'll be going, boss."

He twirled, walking like his shoes were too tight, making short little strutting steps like a clockwork soldier, his Sacred Gear following from behind.

"Before I forget," Danhauser called out, looking down, "Share this message with Sae, if you guys, by any means, discover a familiar face from the school trip, stay away." He peered up once again, seeing Tobio cast a small glare behind his shoulder, it felt like a cold knife stabbing his chest, "I repeat, _stay away_ and contact me _immediately_ , no _ifs_ or _buts_ —this is for your sake guys. Clear?"

The Japanese clicked his tongue, closing the door, "Clear."

* * *

Siegfried blinked. "What just happened?" He faced his King, "Did I miss something?"

"Tobio's friends are captives by a group of mysterious criminals. All this transpired during a ruined school trip to Hawaii," Danhauser answered with a small wave of his hand. "They're alive, that's what counts."

"How can you tell?"

"The news stated that there was no blood and no bodies were discovered at the crime scene, yet."

"You sound _way_ too calm, master."

"Huh," Danhauser frowned as he lay back on the table, "What do you mean?"

" _Well_ ," Siegfried trailed off, passing a hand through his silver hair. He lowered his face, then in a second he took aim and fired a look, "There are lives at stake, Danhauser… adolescents, _innocents_ facing who knows what, maybe the television is hiding us the truth, you should know that."

His frown morphed into narrowed eyes. He folded his arms, "What're you implying, Siegfried?"

"… Just so I know, are you worried about this whole situation at all?"

Danhauser withstood the urge of groaning in front of his Knight. He should've seen this coming; Siegfried was an Exorcist, his former job was supposed to protect the weak from lurkers of the dark such as Devils and Vampires. Once his former leaders commanded him to protect a village at all cost, with a strong nod, the swordsman jumped into the fray. Now? He's been ordered to spread flyers while innocents are being either experimented or killed by the wicked.

 _"We're_ not _ready. We're_ not _fucking ready. We'll have to wait until Slash Dog's plot commences. The consequence of recruiting Canis Lykaon, ladies and gentlemen,"_ Danhauser took a deep breath, "We're going to help Tobio. That's what matters," he responded, adding, "Besides, will worrying about them help save them?"

The silver-haired teenager bit his tongue, looking aside, frowning, "I… I suppose _not_ , but still..."

Danhauser smiled faintly, preceded by a single clap, "Great. Then I'll continue not to make that mistake."

"…" Siegfried didn't look back but felt his eyebrow twitch slightly.

Danhauser, on the other hand, ignored it, motioning to the doors with a nod, "Siegfried, keep an eye on Tobio while spreading flyers. Also, there are Exorcists in Kuoh. I'll explain later. I prefer if you stay hidden from them, perhaps they'll know about your appearance with a mere glance."

After an extended pause, the swordsman scoffed, "I doubt it. While I'm well-known among multiple Churches' installations, they still don't know about my features. Only my name, and nicknames—but if you wish, I'll change my attire to appear as a civilian."

"Thank you. Don't forget watching over Tobio."

"Of course, master."

Seeing his first Peerage member give a salute and disappear from the same route that Tobio and Bova had, made Danhauser groan behind his palm, "And here I thought that leading a Peerage would be easy." He chuckled, massaging his heavy eyes, "What an idiot I am."

Then he sat down heavily in the easy chair, seemed almost to fall into it, leading his elbows atop the elegant table. A shiver ran through his spine as the memories of yesterday's conversation flashed before his gray orbs. The worst part is that he couldn't share this with anyone, if he did, the Magician would bite back and it wouldn't end well for both parties, especially on Danhauser's side.

The sigh that escaped Danhauser's dry lips was quiet as if his brain needed that time to develop what had transpired this week. His eyes hovered fixed on the floor, on the exact place Rudiger had stood straight and tall.

"Okay, I need to distract myself with something else," Danhauser changed his focus on the floor, grumbling. He knows that the German is friends with Diehauser. Maybe he's not _that_ bad? Knowing Diehauser, The Emperor may be picky when it involves forging bonds. This could be doubtable because, for an odd reason, Diehauser thought it'd be a _fantastic_ idea to bring back to life a child murderer.

"Maybe he's doing this to make sure I don't harm Diehauser…? Like hell, I would do that, anyway." Danhauser huffed and softly slammed a fist on the table, "Whatever it is, he'll come back to make me spill the beans. How unlucky."

Danhauser broke when the door banged, vaulting slightly. He glared behind his shoulder, unmoving. "Yes?"

"It's me, sweetie, are you busy?" His mother, Calcabrina, said from the other side.

Danhauser sighed softly. His mother would punch doors like they were exclamation marks to whatever she had just shrieked. Often, they would bounce in the frame and she'd repeat the cycle again, shattering Danhauser's eardrums for the second time. She's a good woman from the heart, but dear Maou, she needs to control her power behind those fists!

"Not at all," Her son responded after the silence, "Come in."

Soon enough, he heard his mother mutter an 'excuse me' followed by the door opening. It's creaking sent a chill swim down his spine. It sounded like some dying animal, crying out in pain and sorrow with its last breath. Spooky.

Even his mother winced, shooting a small glare at the frame, perhaps writing a mental note. Her deep red-eyes jumped over to her son once again, smiling, "I'm sorry for bothering you, sweetie, but I have to tell you something," she paused pushing locks of ebony hair behind her ear, "Has my brother or yours informed you that tomorrow you'll be visiting your father?"

Danhauser's eyes widened slightly. Father, a word that he hasn't heard for a long time, even in his previous life. "No, they didn't at all."

Her smile disappeared, "I knew it," she huffed, rubbing her temple with a faint sigh, "I don't even know why I'd decided to leave it in the hands of those two…" she shook her head."Well, now you know dear, be prepared, okay?"

Danhauser nodded, "Okay, I'll be ready, then."

She tilted her head, something was wrong. "Is something bothering you?"

Her son held the urge of jumping from his spot. "Not at all, I'm great, nothing to worry about."

It was getting hard to look her in the eyes, mostly when her red pools showed the kind of gentle concern his real mother used to show. She moved closer, dropped to her knees and laid her hands lightly on his shoulders and instead of flinching like he usually did, he—surprisingly—was soothed by it. "You know you can tell me what's troubling you, right?" A proud smile bloomed on her face, passing her thumbs over his cheeks. "After all, I'm your mother."

"… I'm nervous about meeting dad," The half lie slipped out, smooth and easy, like melted butter sliding down toast.

He doesn't feel too proud about lying. He'd even received compliments of it in his previous life by his small group of friends. The flattery didn't make him feel great, on the contrary…

"…" Calcabrina kept her silence in check, scanning her son's gray orbs with hers. She contained a sigh, "… Don't be. Your father is a great man. It's a pity he has to stay in that damned city." Her smile returned shakily, squeezing her child's shoulders, "Promise me that no matter what, you'll return to mommy, okay?"

Danhauser moved his eyeballs from side to side. Then back at Lady Belial's lovingly gaze, " _Suuuure_?"

Calcabrina's smile widened. She felt like a bouncing ball, "Perfect." She hushed, planting a kiss on Danhauser's forehead before standing up, "Food's going to be served in a few minutes, love you."

The teenager waved at her retreating form. He brought a hand to lightly rub his chin, imitating a contractor evaluating an employee, "Well, today's Sunday. So I won't be missing Sairaorg's showdown. Better stop my Peerage and Bova from spreading flyers, they'll miss the food. I hope they add a bunch of bananas for our resident dragon."

Chuckling at his horrible joke, and cringing slightly along the way, he hopped down the table like a slinking panther and rushed quickly towards the door, hoping to reach his Peerage just in time.

* * *

Dawn broke out from the horizon, and the train was late. Danhauser was left with Diehauser and Malacoda on the platform with ten minutes of hearing the cringy jokes of their dear uncle. His mother had bid them a farewell, sticking around the territory to watch it for Lord Belial. Gilles de Rais offered his assistance. Danhauser also put Siegfried in charge while he's absent on his exploration with his family. Bova wanted to come, but he couldn't, much to the dragon's anger.

The sudden discordant, machine-like shriek broadcasted the entrance of the elegant carriage. Not impressed by the quality—all polished metals and rich upholstery. The doors reluctantly eased open with the smoothness of butter sliding through toast, the handles bright as diamonds. There is only one benefit of waking up at five thirty in the morning from the slam of the door that came like a bullet. Credit goes to the Malebranche Brothers.

Danhauser had mounted a train during his previous life, and there was a seat that he always loved. Endowed with the generous elbow room and a guaranteed window seat all to himself. Settling into his self-proclaimed throne followed by Diehauser and Malacoda seating in front of him, they shared a mutual sigh after hearing the air conditioner turning on and caressing their skins.

"Now we're talking!" Malacoda sighed once again, leaning in his seat with his arms behind his head, "Damn _how much_ I love air conditioning!"

"Make it two," Danhauser looked around to see if there was any passenger on the train, dumbfounded by the emptiness. He turned to his uncle, "Are we the only ones on the train?"

"Well, if you count the driver, then we're four," Malacoda answered with four fingers sticking in the air, kicking his feet up on the table to lean further on his seat, startling the Emperor.

"…" Slowly, Diehauser aimed his orbs towards his uncle, who in return, was wiggling his eyebrows at him.

…

"Don't worry, Dan. It's no big surprise that this train is mostly empty," Diehauser said, pushing Malacoda's feet off as he did so, "Not many devils would want to take a step closer to that city."

"Why?" He asked, ignoring Malacoda's puffed cheeks.

"For starters, the city's purpose is not entirely made for people who want restart their lifestyle. It's preferable to just stick with the Extra Demons if you want to start from zero." Diehauser responded, "I'm not implying that you can't live there, of course, you can, but don't expect something out of this world."

"What your brother means is that the city has shitty scenery," Malacoda shrugged. The train taking a plunge, inching ahead at an endurable pace. "All in all, the citadel isn't a place for tourism and a place to start from zero."

"Then what's its purpose?" Danhauser asked. The ride rocking back and forth, its relentless whining and groaning equal to a newborn wailing after leaving their mother's womb.

He flashed a grin, "T the place is secluded from the current Devil Society such as the 72 Pillars and Extra Demons, the only thing that is bridging the city with these two are exchanging stuff with one another."

"Such as…?"

Lord Malebranche winked, " _Anything_."

Danhauser blinked and slowly turned to his brother, who is supposed to know a lot about the Underworld. He saw the nod, confirming his curiosity.

Malacoda boomed a laugh, "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the famous city known as the Treasure of Lucifer himself! The Eternal Citadel!" He took a deep breath, "The City of Dis!"

"City of this… what?"

"No, no! _Dis_! Not _'this_!' _Dis_!" Malacoda corrected him, wagging his tail across his nephew's face.

Danhauser brushed the barbed tail away, "Why the Eternal Citadel?"

"Our ancestors believed that no matter what happened to the world or how the Underworld, Grigori, Heaven changed or collapsed, Dis would go on forever, no matter what." Evil Tail said with a pinch of pride mixing in his voice. "And they were right! The City continues to move on even after the First Satans's deaths during the Great War! Dis turned into one of the most important places in the Underworld."

"I don't get it, yet," Danhauser admitted, "Why would no one want to take a single step toward that place? It is the Treasure of Lucifer, isn't it?"

"Let's just say Dis isn't concentrated on tourism, like uncle had said," Diehauser replied, "the City of Dis is fixated on delivering more than anything else."

"Trading system, yeah?" Danhauser arched an eyebrow, earning a nod from his brother, "That's where the money comes from?"

Honestly, the Pillars have multiple ways to obtain cash. A perfect example is the Phenex. Danhauser knows that the House that Ravel comes from is perhaps one of the wealthiest around the Pillars. Around the top five, he dares to bet. Not only because of their powerful potions but one of Lord Phenex's sons is known as one of the bosses of a media company, thus increasing their fortune.

He doesn't know if the Rating Games has a payment. Surely, it gives fame to you and your House, mostly if you are around the Top Ten, and thanks to Ruval, the Phenex House triumphs right there.

"Not really," Diehauser said, "The money comes out from anywhere. The way how Dis works is to export goods to Houses of Ars Goetia, Houses of Extra Demons or any other race. Unlike the Pillars, they don't show distrust to any other race and they even accept you with arms wide open as long as you have money filled in your pockets."

"So they work together to sell merchandise to many customers?"

Malacoda slammed a hand on the table, laughing, "Pfff! _Teamwork?!_ Good one!" He flashed a toothy grin, "Kiddo. They're in a war!"

"What," Danhauser deadpanned, "You're joking, right?"

"I'm afraid not!"

…

"So, you literally sent us into a conflict between Clans?"

Evil Tail scoffed and waved off his worries. "Relax. It's no longer a war where blood was smeared on the walls and corpses found on the streets. They'd understood that no one was actually winning. The Clans realized it was in their mutual interests to broker a truce, each Clan is fighting in a similar way, _selling_."

"…" Danhauser shook his head, "Are you involve in this war, too?"

"Not really, my Housecarl makes business with them." Lord Malebranche scratched his nose, "After all, where do you think they get their slaves to do their dirty jobs?"

"Slaves? Isn't a bad thing to enslave creatures from different mythologies?"

Malacoda frowned, but after grasping his nephew's words, his eyes wrenched wide, " _Whoa_! Don't think the slaves are _different_ races! We stopped doing that a _loooong_ time ago! When Lucifer reigned to be specific." He cleared his throat loudly, " _Anyways_ , that's where my Housecarl strikes! We, the _Malebranche_ , thanks to our birthplace, _Malebolge_ , which turned into a prison for evil creatures, are in charge of selling slaves to the Clans that are living in Dis! The slaves are Stray Devils that either my Housecarl captures and jails them on Malebolge or when a _King_ is pissed and disposes of their _shitty_ servants by selling it to yours truly. _Capisci_?"

"…" Danhauser struggled on nodding, but he triumphed, albeit with difficulties. He didn't know what to expect. Good treatment? Not at all. It wasn't surprising that Dis would go and find anything useful on the Stray Devils, unlike the other Factions, which they execute on sight.

Choosing the life of a Stray Devil is like the world has turned against you, leaving you alone with the Chess Piece that your former master had reincarnated you as.

The worst part is that some of them choose the path of wanted criminals just to protect their dear ones, such as a certain famous black-haired _Nekoshou_.

What concerns him the most is the way Malacoda had said it, with the same happy-go-lucky tone he regularly carries around his vocal chords, as if he was speaking of the weather.

 _"He's a Devil, an old one."_ Danhauser grimaced, rapping his fingers along the table, _"The way he thinks pretty much is the way a Devil thinks around here. I shouldn't be surprised."_

The exchange had dwindled to nothingness, now the silence was as pure as an alabaster blanket. Diehauser kept his eyes fixed on the scenery behind the train's window. Malacoda merely looked up to the roof. When his ears became more adapted to the lack of sound he thought he could hear the gears grinding neighboring the train, but other than that only his cadenced breathing brokered the air.

"Hey, brother," Diehauser blinked, side-glancing at the teenager, "Can I ask you something else?"

"Shoot."

"Through fire, nature is reborn whole. What does it mean?"

"It refers to the cleansing power of fire," The Emperor replied nonchalantly, "Rosenkreutzer's motto. That's what you were talking about Rudiger yesterday?"

Danhauser forced a smile, "We chatted about this school. Thanks for your answer." He yawned, "I'll shoot in the dark and say it's going to take hours to reach Dis, I'll take a nap."

"G'night!" Malacoda chirped.

Diehauser stared before hesitantly turning his gaze back to the window, "… Sleep well."

* * *

When the vehicle stopped and the doors had hissed open, a gigantic cloud of dark smoke erupted from the belly of the station. Danhauser, unaware of the sudden assault, had a smoker's cough, hacking and wheezing while the two unaffected devils forcefully shut the door closed. He'd been ordered by The Emperor to stay here and wait for Evil Tail to fetch some gas masks situated around the terminal. For a second he'd thought his eyes were about to pop out from his sockets.

Malacoda hadn't taken too long to find the cleanest masks that the building had available for new visitors of Dis. It'd be a pain in the ass leave the station if it wasn't for Malacoda who knows the Citadel like the palm of his hand.

The three stepped outside of the building, attended by the mournful streets—they looked as if God had taken an eraser and begun to remove the beautiful nature that stayed behind with the 72 Pillars; like he'd had a sudden stroke of perfectionism and decided to start from zero. The tropical trees and other greenery appear in profusion within miles of roadway and even the lakes are beginning to be paved over by devil's ambitions. They didn't respect nature.

It was uncomfortable to see behind of the thin white vapor that is expelled from multiple factories. The gas mask didn't make the situation any better, while it protected his lungs; the cracked lens was so small that later Danhauser had to squint his eyes to have a comfortable sight. If someone ever asks him the definition of pollution, Danhauser, without hesitating, would lend them a free ticket to explore the Citadel.

Lord Malebranche took a deep breath and sighed dreamily. " _Ah!_ It has been _weeks_ since I'd walked around these streets." He said, voice distorted by the mask. He spun around with arms wide open. "Thanks to Dis' prominence as a mercantile hub, it's been divided into dozens of districts by the Clan Merchants, we're in the District of Lucifuge, only those silver-haired bastards _and_ customers are accepted here! So, welcome!"

Danhauser pursed his lips and kept on walking, his eyes swimming to the _gigantic_ wall—whose function _obviously_ is to separate them from other Clans—to the few houses and stores filled by buyers. The wind growled like some horror movie opener. He looked down at the land tanned of silver and gold, even with the mask on, he could inhale the swarming cesspool of _corruption_ , _chaos_ , _scheming_ and _invention_. It was almost disgusting.

"Dis' many station bustle day and night as merchant trains approach and depart, carrying possessions of _all_ _sorts_ to places of _all_ _sorts_ to creatures of _all_ _sorts_!" He heard his uncle's words as they annexed in the middle of a crowd. The citizen's movements like an army of robots being controlled by a supercomputer. Their consciousness in an autopilot mode—oblivious of their surroundings.

" _Ugh, crowds…"_ Whenever he accidentally crashed with a devil, he'd utter an apology and move closer to Diehauser and immediately checking his pockets to make sure everything's there. Funnily _they_ parroted the same gesture.

He felt his brother's hand on his shoulder, pinning him. "We're here." He said, and Danhauser could only nod and sigh with relief, he adjusted slightly his mask and waited for next orders.

Malacoda shoved the door open, letting his nephews jump inside first. "You can take your masks now, the air's fine here." He said after tossing the object away from his face. He slid a hand across his black hair, "Just a small walk and we'll reach his office. Let's go!"

Danhauser took a long breath after expulsing his gas mask, feeding his lungs with clean oxygen. He was relieved to finally be done with the outside and breathe under a roof. The mask smelled like some residual smoke and sweat. It was _horrible_. The walk they had to do to approach the building where his Dad works. Thankfully, they'd reached the decent corridors on their way to knock on daddy's door.

"… Even though they'd stopped the bloodshed, the war between them hasn't concluded as the Devils now turned to trade, exploiting warfare in the economics department! The Clans kept their rivalry at each other's throats, stubbornly _outshining_ and _outsmarting_ one another in pursuit of wealth and power!"

" _Plutocracy_ in its greatest splendor," muttered Diehauser, pulling his mask away and entrancing Danhauser back to the real world.

" _Sounds like a Cartel to me,"_ Danhauser tossed his two cents, lips of course sealed.

"Pretty much, yeah," Malacoda said over his shoulder, halting. "Here we are!"

Checking out his left hand had still grasped the gas mask, Danhauser peeked up,"…Matanbuchus Belial." He tasted the name over his mouth, studying the sign embedded with gold.

"The one and only!" Evil Tail boomed a laugh, slapping Diehauser's back. "You gray rats stay here. We'll jump to introductions in a sec, _Capisci?_ "

"What're you going to do?" Diehauser asked.

"We're going to kiss passionately."

The Emperor stared, "Ah."

Malacoda winked at his amused and youngest nephew, "I'll talk with your geezer for a bit," not expecting a response. He spun around, took a deep breath and—

* * *

With a kick that _practically_ flung the door off its hinges, Malacoda scurried in with a goofy grin. He closed the door with a push of his tail. "Miss me? _Buchus?_ "

Matanbuchus was slackly browsing the old wrinkled newspaper before looking up with those famous gray eyes. "Really?" He deadpanned, letting the newspaper land on the table, "Kicking my door? What if someone was here?"

"I would notice their presence easily," Malacoda pouted, arms folded, "And you're not doing shit! Just lying on your ass on the seat!"

Matanbuchus stared before chuckling, " _Touché_. Welcome back." He stood up, stretching, "You don't know how _much_ you missed during your vacation, Coda."

Lord Malebranche blinked, "Hmm," he laid back on the nearest wall, staring at the man who looks identically as his oldest nephew, just with a beard and a suit, "What? Some slaves tried to escape? A brawl for food or a hot bimbo? Same crap, isn't it?" His tail froze, leaning slightly, "… or something that could peek _my_ interest?"

" _Something_ that could _peek_ _your_ interest," Matanbuchus repeated, sitting on the table, "It seems a new race has visited Dis."

"Y'know, I'm not in the mood of playing riddles after a boring ride," Malacoda said, "So, just hit me with your best gun."

"Or even better—I'll give you a hint." Diehauser's father said, slipping his hand into his pockets, "…It starts with _'Vam'_ and ends with _'pire.'_ "

"I said hit me, don't _shit_ _me_ ," Malacoda said aghast.

The gray-haired devil laughed, slapping his knee, "Trust me, that was my reaction, too!" He slid out a pipe and a small satchel of tobacco. "Holy shit, Coda! I can't believe it. Of all races wandering on this damned world, the _Vampires_ decided to send us a call!"

Evil Tail eyed the product in his hand, clicking his tongue. He concentrated his gaze on the man, "Which one of the two, though? _Feminazi_ or _Meninazi_?"

His brother-in-law smiled, "Meninazi Faction." As if stowing a cherished gun, Matanbuchus pinched a volume of tobacco in the opening, tamping it evenly with a pipe tool. "I think you know what I'm trying to say."

His shoulders slumped slightly, "So, the _fuckboys_ wanna buy some products to repair their territory after ending their overthrow?" He sighed, "Damn, and I was expecting something _more_ _thrilling_ , y'know?"

Matanbuchus smirked, clamping the pipe between his teeth, "And that's where you're _wrong_."

"Enlighten me, then."

"Try to guess."

"…" Malacoda frowned, watching keeping an eye out of how his sister's husband slithered a wooden match on the table then hovering the match over the packed product, he sipped pulling the flame inward, "Sorry man, nothing."

Grand puffs of smoke left from his mouth, relaxing, "They didn't actually send us a call. They are here, _personally_." He inhaled deeply, letting the smoke seep into his cells. "In a different building, though. A grown-up man and a boy that looks to be in his early twenties. Sounds familiar?"

His red eyes, his mouth, and even his barbed tail stopped working with a wide-open expression of stunned surprise, and although he was staring straight at Matanbuchus, he appeared not to notice him at all. "… My brother had told me about _two_ figures fleeing from a mob of pissed-off vampires."

"Huh-huh." He blew a ring of smoke at Malacoda's direction.

Lord Malebranche ignored the smell of coal infiltrating his nostrils, "One of them was an adult—the _supposed_ King of Tepes."

"Go on…"

"And the brat's his son…" Malacoda trailed off, whistling, "Holy shit! Are you guarding the former _Fourth_ _King_ of the _Tepes_?!"

"…" He inhaled slowly, his system responding to the smoke, and felt his lungs being wrapped in a warm blanket, "We're not protecting them. They stood at the entrance for Maou-knows- _how_ - _long_." He grunted smoke, "We threatened them to move away from the Citadel's walls like five times, the son looked ready to leave defeated, but the fatherfucker didn't." He shrugged, "We rolled our eyes and let them in. Right now, a legion of guards is watching them."

" _Meh._ I would just attack these two, to be honest. _Vampires_ are a pain in the ass, yeah?"

"We want to know what they want. If we're interested, we'll continue the talk, if not, we'll kick them out. Easy as that. I doubt he's here to work under Regent-Lord Lucifuge, though. Like us, they're prideful creatures, even more, arrogant I dare to say." His eyes sharpened. "But after thinking about it, I think I know what their motives are."

Malacoda's eyebrow curved, tapping the floor. "…What?"

He blew once again, "… Something that has the possibility to _mark_ history," he leaned back. "Also I'd received small Intel from Regent-Lord Lucifuge. It seems the one that had caused the _Coup d'etat_ was his _second son_ , Marius Tepes."

"Damn, his _own_ son dropped a _Judas'_ _act_? _Dick_ move."

Matanbuchus bobbed his head, "Reasons remains unknown, that's where I strike in." He heaved an exhausted sigh, "I need you here, Coda. I'll be speaking on behalf of Lucifuge with the jackass, who knows if he's going to do something alarming behind my back, you know how these assholes play."

"Yeah, yeah. I get it," Malacoda dismissed his concerns with a wink, "I'll be watching your back, my princess."

"Speaking of princess…" Matanbuchus changed the subject with a dreamy smile, "How's my precious Calcabrina doing? Haven't heard of her for a while."

Malacoda slid a hand into his jacket, "Sis's alright, I guess. She's been acting off lately. Send her a poem or a pic of your ding-dong, maybe that'd brighten her mood. Also, she told me to give you this, catch."

Matanbuchus laid his pipe on his thigh, catching the object with ease, "A letter," he grinned, listening to his brother-in-law humming. He opened it, pouring himself on the two-cent paper. He smiled sadly and chuckled throughout the adventure. He sighed happily after reaching the last sentence. "So it is true…" He folded the letter, picking up his pipe, "If the letter is right, my _supposed_ _dead son_ has been training, _a lot_. Reasons?"

Malacoda grinned, pointing a thumb at his shoulder, "Why don't you ask him personally? They're here."

Matanbuchus' eyes widened, bending over as sharply as if he'd been punched in the stomach, smoke discriminately abandoning his throat, "W-What?!" By slow, torturous degrees, the coughs eased in intensity and then gradually, breathing properly. "P-pardon the _fuck_ , Malacoda?! Why you didn't say a word?!"

Malacoda raised his hands, "Whoa, calm down! I thought _you knew_! Hadn't you felt the _demonic power_ of Diehauser?!"

"I _did_ felt a _vast amount_ of power, I thought it was you!" He argued, groaning, quickly standing up to the window, taking one last sip of his pipe, he opened the window and tossed it away, "Damn it! Now this place _smells_ like shit!"

"Then maybe's the time to stop _smoking_ shit!"

"Shut your trap!" Snapped Matanbuchus, drawing out a spray from his drawer. Shaking it, he applied it to the whole room, waving his hand frantically to spread the smell of cinnamon to the furthest corners. He took a quick sniff, "Better."

Malacoda rolled his eyes.

"How do I look? Presentable?" Matanbuchus asked, cleaning his suit from any signs of tobacco.

"You look fine," Malacoda assured him, pushing himself off the wall, "I'll get the rats inside now, prepare yourself."

Matanbuchus could only nod as he adjusted his tie.

* * *

"Rudiger seems to be a cool guy," Danhauser suddenly said, hands inside his pants.

Diehauser smiled, "He is. I knew you would like him. He always knows how to entertain teenagers around your age."

Danhauser pursed his lips, "Right." He muttered, " _Anyways_ , what can you tell me about him?"

The Emperor frowned, "… Don't you think it's _wrong_ to talk behind someone's back?"

" _Shit,"_ Danhauser held back a hiss, "You're seeing this in a bad light. I won't be spreading fake rumors around the Underworld, I'm just curious about his past."

"…" Emperor Belial stared.

"Plus, he knows about me coming back to life. You'd told him _behind my_ back."

"I didn't," Diehauser shot back. "The news of you leaving your coffin had spread around the Underworld. That was enough to catch Rudiger's interest."

"You'd granted him the permission to read _my_ documents."

"I did it to make sure nothing was wrong with you. He's an expert when it involves anomalies such as this one." Diehauser explained, breaking eye contact, "I'm sorry, but I don't feel great speaking about his past. You'll have to win his trust."

Danhauser bit his tongue, _"Well, I guess I deserve this. Unlucky."_

…

"Why you want to know anyway?"

"…"

Diehauser sighed, "Troublesome."

Suddenly, the gray door swung open, Malacoda's head popping out from it, "Get moving! Dad's ready!"

Diehauser looked down at his brother, "Are you ready?"

Danhauser felt his heart's vibrations throughout his throat, tightly clenching the mask—he thought searching data would calm him down slightly, but after seeing the smallest crack coming back to life from the door, all that jumped out of the window. He only nodded, walking alongside with the Champion. Their uncle kept the door open.

The moment Danhauser made it inside the room, his nose perceived a pleasant smell while his gray eyes fell upon the unknown figure whose expression was a combination of thunderstruck, panic and denial. Finally, the supposed father broke into a wide, honey grin, Danhauser for a second thought actual nectar was about to fall off his mouth like a waterfall.

 _"If it wasn't for that beard, I'd thought it was Diehauser's twin,"_ After the fleeting silence, Danhauser found himself lifted and compressed by a pair of strong arms, spinning him around until he was dizzy, the gas mask breaking from his grasp.

He ignored the modest smell of tobacco.

"I can't believe it!" Matanbuchus laughed heartily, giving one last squeeze before putting his son down. It was like he was in a dream. "It is true! You're alive! You're fucking breathing!" He maneuvered his hands over the shoulders of the Emperor, shaking him, "Isn't that fucking great, son?! He's standing right here! At your side!"

Diehauser smiled, discounting his uncle nudging his side, "Yes, I know, father."

He slumped in the chair pursued by a stretched sigh, he laid his elbows on the table, hands forming a pyramid, "How're you feeling, Dan?"

They stared back at each other for what seemed like days until he finally dropped his gaze. "I'm, uh, great. Yeah, great. Thanks for asking."

After answering, he lifted his gaze back, noticing that the three are looking at him, he gulped. _"They want me to continue the conversation, don't they?_ "

Taking the outstretched silence as a yes, he harrumphed, "Nice room."

" _Smooth."_ Diehauser chuckled quietly.

His father smirked, "Amazing isn't it?" He gestured to the whole place with a flick of his hand, "This is how they'd left the room for me after the previous worker left. Me, praising its architecture, decided to leave it like that."

"Huh, who'd worked here before you?" Danhauser rubbed his arm, "Someone from our House?"

"Nah," Malacoda answered, "It was a fuckboy from the Lucifuge Clan who had a boner for his older sister." He paused. "Euclid Lucifuge, he quitted and died during the Civil War."

He felt his eyes stretching. "O-Oh."

His father frowned, "Something wrong, son?"

"I-It's nothing. I just remembered something about my Peerage." He lied, like always.

Matanbuchus felt the tugging of his lips, "I see." He paused, "I heard from your mother that you're focusing on training, why?"

Barely audible, not even with the devils' enhanced hearing was possible to decrypt the message, he said. "…Well, I _want_ to achieve my _True Form_."

There was a silence. The adults in the office all continued to stare at the teenager. Danhauser felt tortuously out of place, like slices of pepperoni that had erroneously made its way atop a vegetarian pizza.

It started with a lip jerk, then a grin, followed by a snicker and finished by a hyena's laugh. Malacoda affectionately ruffled the hair of his nephew, "Holy shit! Never saw that one coming!"

"Color me impressed," Matanbuchus had his eyebrows lifted since the declaration—"You want to unlock your _True Form…_? Why?"

Danhauser quieted and tossed five fingers over his collar, casting a small glare at his entertained uncle.

"Do you even have the slightest idea what _True Form_ is? Are you sure it's a good idea, to begin with?" Diehauser asked.

Before Danhauser could address this question with a confident response, someone intervened, "Of course he doesn't! That's why we're going to show him what that is!" Evil Tail shot a wink at the Emperor, " _Waddup_ , Big Champ. Wanna get your ass _whooped_ by your good ol' uncle?"

The Champion felt his cheeks cracking into a smile, cocking an eyebrow, "I'd love to see you try."

Malacoda felt his tail dancing faster than before, strongly facing Matanbuchus, "Is there any place where I can put your rat in a wheelchair?"

Matanbuchus narrowed his eyes as he glanced at the room, before hesitantly nodding at the doors, "You know the place."

Lord Malebranche burst into a vigorous laugh, "Follow me, _Hauser_! I'll make sure to shit on ya!"

Diehauser just rolled his eyes, his throat accidentally slipping out a chuckle, before reluctantly obeying.

Danhauser felt something weighing him down over his face, his eyesight decreasing, "Fights like this one are worthy of watching. Who knows if you're seeing another one like this one, again." He heard his father's muffled voice, "Let's go."

He only nodded obtusely, hands adjusting the ragged gas mask, staring at Malacoda as if he'd just produced an elephant out of his pocket. He could feel the sparks of his brain connecting the dots.

Someone of these two has True Form.

* * *

"How're we doing this, huh?" Malacoda cracked each finger—the grin hasn't vanished since their arrival.

Diehauser looked around, his eyes landing over the ever distant Malacoda, "No weapons, demonic powers are acceptable."

Malacoda shrugged, "Whatever floats your boat." He glanced over his shoulder, offering thumbs up at the front seats, winking at his nephew, "Watch and learn, kiddo! Because this is going to be the _smackdown_ of the century!"

"Make sure not to make a whole mess, Coda," Matanbuchus said, sitting beside his son. "You know how difficult is to clean up all the _Resin_ you leave after your 'warm up'."

"Yeah, yeah." Malacoda rolled his eyes.

"The fight's going to last five minutes, no more, no less, the last thing I need to hear is angry demands from the slaves and the Lucifuge." Malacoda looking at his son then at his brother-in-law, "Understood?"

Evil Tail smirked, "I won't hold back, kid."

"…" Diehauser nodded, raising both fists. "You know what to do."

Malacoda laughed, black substances slowly trailing off his cheeks, "As you wish!" As if he'd just said the magic word, he kneeled and began to grow. His back bubbling and bones transformed, he felt every molecule shaping, the clothes _sinking_ into his morphing skin. His whole body's color texture turned black and viscous.

 _"YESSSS! It feels fucking amazing!"_ He flexed out his human-shaped, _sticky_ , unstructured mass made of pure _Pitch Resin_. It made him snicker—he glanced down at his huge three-fingered hands, stretching them, noticing the strands of ooze linking his phalanxes. With the last grunt, he faced his challenger.

Diehauser watched the scene unfold before him, ropes of resin leaking from his uncle's chin and neck, making a whole mess of him. Beady red pupils glaring back. His ears, hair, and shirt dissolved beneath his black skin.

The abomination grinned, showing his definite sharp teeth, passing his blackened tongue between the two lower fangs ascending just above his upper lip.

"That's…" Danhauser gaped, his eyes solely focused on Malacoda's True Form, "… _amazing_!"

"Dan, what's Malebranche's House trait?" His father asked.

Danhauser frowned, before slowly responding, "… It allows those who are members of the House of Malebranche to manipulate Resin?"

"What else?"

Danhauser's frown deepened, tapping his chin, "That's… that's all... Am I missing something?"

Matanbuchus just chuckled, nodding at the fighters, "Show us the _frightening_ _strength_ of a _true_ _Ultimate_ -Class Devil."

A burning passion glinted on Malacoda's eye. He _stretches_ his arm back like rubber, forcing Danhauser to cock his head back to avoid the fist from knocking him out, and with a hard yank, he throws his fist back at the _end_ of the arena. It was so fast that the fist's movement is invisible!

Diehauser dodged the flying hook. Seriously, if Danhauser was in the Emperor's shoes, he'd immediately go back to the hospital. Diehauser isn't any ordinary Devil at all, in truth—he's an Ultimate- _Ultimate_ Class Devil. That's a huge achievement that not even Malacoda, who'd triggered True Form and has been alive for so long has attained.

His train of thoughts was cut short as another blur of Pitch Black went flying towards the Emperor, a blur that was ready to blow Diehauser's teeth out!

His years of training kicking in, Diehauser ducked as the fist rushed over his head. Feeling how the punch _pierced_ the air as it passed his gray hair—he spared a look behind his shoulder, noticing Malacoda's fingers anchored on the floor.

The Emperor's eyes widened slightly. He invoked his wings and soared into the sky, just in time to evade his uncle who'd catapulted himself from far away to Diehauser's former territory, sending small blobs of Resin to the air after he'd splashed to the ground.

"Not so fast!" After shapeshifting back into his humanoid form, Malacoda shot his arm after the elevated Devil.

"Why Diehauser is not using _Worthlessness_?" Danhauser murmured as his eyes locked on the elastic arm. It moved like a snake ready to bare its fangs over its prey.

"That's because _Worthlessness_ can't nullify a _True Form_ ," His father responded, "There are things that _Worthlessness_ isn't capable of rendering worthless, one of them is the spirit and soul. Maybe if your brother had _True Form_ , I would be proven wrong."

Danhauser just nodded, agreeing with Matanbuchus' ramblings. There's no one from the House of Belial that has ever achieved a _True Form_ —yet—maybe that's the key to bring back Malacoda to his original form, this is, however, a mere theory, since there is not enough evidence to provide a right answer.

Malacoda grinned when he felt his stretched hand wrap into Diehauser's leg. Tightening his grip, he swung downward and smashed his prey to the floor, a sudden think dust cloud hiding the Emperor.

Diehauser grunted as he jumped out of his crater, rolling aside just in time to dodge the punch hurling from the skies and landing on the floor—stabbing the ground after reaching its destination.

Malacoda clicked his tongue, using his previous trick—Malebranche took advantage of his anchored fist and used it to waltz closer to his Nephew, "I'm getting bored over here!"

Diehauser dismissed Malacoda's taunting. In that frozen second between standoff and fighting, he saw his eyes flick to him. His face is unreadable, no dread, no invitational smirk. He didn't recall how many punches were thrown, but he suddenly pierced Malacoda's _forehead_ , _skull_ , and _brain_ with a straight punch, stopping after his fist reached Malebranche's head backside. The thrust was so powerful that the Champion made a huge hole in the roof with his _aftershock_ alone.

 _"Did he fucking killed our uncle?!"_ Danhauser's mouth fell slightly, seeing how Evil Tail stopped moving—froze with the clenched hand of Diehauser impaling his head. Danhauser hovered his eyes over his father, noticing that he wasn't making a drama out of this, _"…Or not?"_

"Well, this is awkward," Malacoda suddenly laughed, Diehauser immediately making distance between the two, "At least take me on a date first before penetrating my body, would ya?"

Before Diehauser could retort, Malacoda's forehead slowly got sewed from the inside by strings of Resin. "Not going anywhere, bitch!"

"Diehauser is holding back, isn't he?" Danhauser asked while watching how his uncle charged after Diehauser, the latter blocking the incoming barricades with his arms, hissing when a punch made it behind his defense. His father hummed, "Why? Uncle's strong."

"He's doing this to demonstrate you what a _True Form_ is," Matanbuchus answered, shrugging, "Remember when you'd answered me what Malebranche's House trait can do? This is what Malebranche's _True Form_ can do. Besides, Coda is also holding back."

With a fierce kick, he sent Diehauser to a wall, enough to prepare himself for his incoming attack. Smirking, Malacoda inhaled rapidly from his mouth and in response, his body _inflated_ and grew.

The Emperor frowned and left the hole in the wall, charging after his uncle.

He ignored his nephew's futile attempts and _twisted_ his body three times and raised both arms. Finally, he untwisted and spun. Fast.

Diehauser grunted, ignoring the disgusting taste of Resin that somehow made its way into his mouth. He began coating his free arm with demonic power and began on rolling and fleeing away from the laughing old fart. It was like fighting with a walking merry-go-round while dodging the constant barrage of powerful punches which are greatly enhanced by the momentum of his launch.

He dodged another swing of resin and captured the second one, stopping the wild spinning top from any mischief. Malacoda's light-red eyes widened before he glared behind his shoulder and tried to once again whirl around.

Diehauser smirked back, taking advantage of Malacoda's frozen state—he _harshly_ yanked him downward, easily flawing Malebranche's stance.

"Shit!" Malacoda cursed, his face slowly approaching the floor. He couldn't see what his nephew was scheming in front of him, but a sudden blow that was as strong as a charging truck aimed at his stomach was enough to end his curiosity. In the blink of an eye, Evil Tail flew across the arena.

Diehauser glanced down at his arm, frowning as he saw his whole hand washed with Malebranche's House trait, cringing when the squelching sound mounted his ears after extending his fingers.

Diehauser instinctively looked up—a big cloud of dust covering half of the arena, what brought him on a defensive stance was the fuss his uncle was making behind the brownish fog. He's still conscious.

"Y'know, you've gotten stronger," Malacoda complimented, walking outside of the cloud with a _huge_ hole in his chest, hands around his waist. "But, I'm afraid I have to end this, _now_."

Diehauser took a deep breath, a pulse of demonic energy running through the circuits of his body, small cracks slowly appearing below his feet. He watched how slowly Malacoda's chest began reassembling with tendrils of resin, "Bring it on, then."

Danhauser blinked at the worst time. When his eyes once again flushed open, both brawlers were now in the middle of the battlefield. Time seemed to slow down—each threw a punch simultaneously and—through some stroke of a wand—strikes one another squarely on each others' fists.

At first no-one moves, their brains unable to make sense of the input from their ears and feet. The ground is grunting and the noise is like lengthened thunder only worse because the vibrations are coming from below.

"Fuck!" Matanbuchus cursed, raising both palms up and summons a barrier, the powerful whirlwind, his spell cracked slightly, "Alright! Timeout! That's enough you two!"

Unfortunately, they didn't obey.

They repeated the same act and, once again, their fists connected. They did it again, and again, and again, sometimes a headbutt would mix on the interchange, until they increased the speed of their swings which can no longer be seen, leaving only blurs to the eyes of the audience.

"Stop this shit!" Matanbuchus demanded, struggling to keep the barrier up, "You two are wrecking this place!"

Danhauser gulped and helped his father on keeping the shield stable, his eyes wide as dinner plates, out of words.

Malacoda was losing the engagement of dominance. Each time his knuckles crashed with Diehauser's, his arm made of resin would _wobble_ like gelatin, making him gasp in pain.

However, he felt like every fiber of his being was vibrating with anticipation. Adrenaline was coursing through his veins. His hands trembled and his eyes were wide. _"What's this…? Is this is what a cat feels like when waiting to pounce on a mouse? Is this… excitement?"_

…

"HAHAHAHAHA! _YESYESYESYES_! FUCK _YES_ IT IS!" Malacoda bellowed, "COME ON, SHITHAUSER! GIVE ME YOUR _FULLEST_!" Two bulges appeared below his original arms, before a pair of _resinic_ _arms_ suddenly _sprouted_ free from them, turning him akin to an _Asura_ , all four of them salvaging his nephew's body.

Diehauser gritted his teeth when the new arms punched his sides, " _You_ _asked_ for it!" He stood pinned in place, bends forward and moves his arms upwards at speeds which they can no longer be seen, leaving only demonic power in their place.

Shockwaves and sonic booms reckoning the whole place, debris falling from the roof, the solid ground rippled and moved in wave motions. Droplets of black substance vaulting off of Malacoda from each hit.

Four pairs of rough hands tried to seize _him_ , to break _him_ , to drop _him_ unconscious, but it wasn't enough. Diehauser aimed to his uncle's buffed and viscous chest, Resin pooled out of it, seeing the ripples caused by his powerful strikes, just like water in a pool will ripple when a rock is tossed in.

A sudden gush of pain jolted throughout Malacoda's body. His stomach ached, his arms lost tension and his legs began to weaken, his _damage absorption_ began wearing off, forcefully he was being pushed away.

Diehauser noticed this. He threw his body weight behind the fist that edged closer to Malebranche's face—it hit his nose with _such_ vigor, resin spilled into his face, punching him across the room.

"SHIT _SHIT_ SHIT!" Malacoda kept bouncing on the floor, like a beach ball on a Summer day. For each bounce, a chunk of the earth _literally_ rippled as if made of some kind of flimsy cloth. He struck four fists on the ground in order to stop himself. Unfortunately, a gray blur landed a kick over Malebranche's face, forcing him back.

Time slowed before Malacoda's shocked eyes, his gaze not focused on his nephew, but on the four black limbs abandoned on the floor, his arms were ripped off.

"FUCKING STOP THIS ALREADY!" Matanbuchus snapped behind his defensive spell, sweat sliding across his temple, eyeing his shocked son now and then. "If you keep this shit you'll destroy Lucifuge's District!"

The Champion wasn't done. Digging his fingers on his uncle's skull, he spun him faster than a dog chasing after their tail, throwing him into the sky and watching how Evil Tail smashed into the roof, before _slowly_ peeling out of the ceiling.

The Emperor furiously tapped on the well of power, feeling how his heart ignited like a sports car's motor, sending all the reserves of demonic power over his clenched fist. The excitement wired his body like he was plugged into the mains. He felt like his brain was on fast-forward. And there was no off switch.

Finally, he drew his fist back again and it plowed into Malacoda's abdomen, it was like hitting a train head-on.

Malacoda felt something jiggling and bobbling inside his body. He blinked, "Huh," and exploded outward, dispatching _thousands_ of blobs of Resin across the battleground.

Diehauser gasped for fresh air. Sweat lingering in the air, ignoring his clothes stained with black and the aching bruises across his body.

Father and son lowered their arms—the cracked barrier disappeared as they finished the gesture. Glancing around the room with wide eyes and mouth hanging open, holes all dispersed over the roof, as is a rain of meteorites fell from the skies, the ground replaced by debris and craters, the walls smeared by the remains of Malacoda.

" _Holy shit…"_ Danhauser brought a hand to his thrumming chest _. "That was brutal…"_

Suddenly, blobs of Pitch Resin began twitching and slide in the middle of the destroyed floor, like a slug fleeing from salt. All of them reunite in the middle and restored once again the anathema that Diehauser had fought. It began to form the plant of his feet, and slowly molding his head.

"…" Evil Tail swayed as he stood up, deactivating his True Form, turning him back to his previous form.

…

…

…

He grinned, shooting a thumbs-up, "Let's call it a draw, yeah?" His eyes rolled back in his skull and fell flat on the floor, unconscious.

…

"W-What kind of power is that…? Matanbuchus felt his phone vibrating in his breast pocket, fishing it out, he answered the call, "H-Huh, _uh_?"

[Matanbuchus! I need you and Malacoda's assistance _immediately_!] Said the caller, [An _earthquake_ has happened in our District! I need you two to make sure the mine's entrance isn't blocked by rubble!]

"…"

[Matanbuchus?!]

He nodded dumbly, "U-understood, Regent-Lord Lucifuge." He hanged the call, his eyes lingering on the ones who caused the disturbance.

Danhauser fell flat on his butt, gulping. _"Is this the top? Is this… the world of the…?"_ _"They aren't even in the top ten strongest beings in the world! They're fucking monsters!"_

Diehauser groaned as he dropped to the ground, leg crossed. He glanced at his stunned father with sympathy, "Sorry for making a mess, dad."

Matanbuchus glared daggers, "… Your mother _will_ hear this."

The Emperor winced.

Before his father could scold him more, he felt some tugging on the corner of his suit. He glared down, "What is it, Dan?"

Danhauser looked back. "You know about _True Form_ , right?" He didn't wait for a response, "Tell me _more_."

Matanbuchus closed his eyes and massaged his nose, gesturing at the knocked figure of his brother-in-law with a nod. "Go back to my office. Diehauser, take your uncle there. We'll continue this conversation later. I have to make sure the mines aren't blocked by rubble."

His children didn't need to be told twice. Diehauser swung Malacoda up to his shoulder as if he was nothing more than a school bag. They walked to the exit with Danhauser following from behind.

Matanbuchus paid one last look at the place, he slammed both hands over his face, groaning. "I don't recall my oldest son making _earthquakes_ by a swing of his fist. Was I out of the Belial Territory _so_ long?"

Knowing that not even silence would respond his question in hand. He pocketed his hands and walked away, muttering, "I _badly_ need a smoke…"

* * *

 **Hello. I'm back. I'm horrible writing fighting scenes. I made three chapters for you guys since I was _kind_ of late updating, let's see if you don't fall asleep. Cheers.  
**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Mistakes Were Made.**


	13. Mistakes Were Made

**Chapter 13: Mistakes Were Made.**

* * *

She sighed as she adjusted her bag on her shoulder for the fifth time, trying to locate the most comfortable spot. She kept moving. She walked as her hair fluttered in the morning's air, her new uniform wrapped perfectly around her body. Sae felt the warm wind caressing her skin, smoothing out the crinkles in her magenta skirt and fixed her brown hair.

"Another day, another school," Sae Toujou shook her head, "To think, that I'd be enrolled in a school which is considered one of the greatest among Japan. It's amazing." She hung her head. "A shame they had to close Ryoukuu, it received a lot of demands from the misfortunate parents."

Suddenly she staggered back when something struck her across her forehead. "W-watch it!" She squealed and massaged her newborn bruise, flinching.

"Ah, my mistake, I wasn't looking where I was going," Sae looked up at the sound of a kind-hearted, baritone voice. Emerald eyes squinting as she struggled to identify the person, the sunlight brightening behind his tall and shadowy figure.

Said person smiled and picked up a book that flew from her bag, dusting it off, "Is this yours, Sae Toujou?"

Her eyes widened slightly, quickly snatching her belonging from his grasp and taking a step back, gulping. "H-How do you know my name? We've barely met!"

The man laughed, she didn't know why, but it put her at… ease. "Calm yourself, I saw your name written up in your notebook's cover page, young lady."

The girl took a quick peek at the object wrapped in her arms, seeing he wasn't spitting lies. She glared at his green eyes which gave off an endless sort of feeling, her stance still defensive. Amazingly enough, his Japanese accent is perfect—just as his appearance—music to anyone's ears, plus he can read her language, too. The worst part is that his face doesn't carry features that resemble a Japanese person.

"A-Are you from here?" She blurted out—the squinted unnecessary eyebrows forced her to be more specific. "I-I mean, a-are you Japanese? Or are you visiting a family member or friend?"

"Oh? May I ask, why the sudden interrogation?"

The brunette winced, looking away as her hand rubbed her arm, "You don't look Japanese. European…?"

He shrugged, "My cousin showed me your people's cultures." He bowed, "It was a pleasure meeting you, but I'm in a hurry. Have a pleasant day in school."

Before she could ask for a name, the silver-haired man walked to a different direction and rounded the corner.

"Hm," she hummed, her cheeks reddening. "He's handsome." She spared a glance at her wristwatch, gasping. "Shoot! I'm going to be late for the interview!"

She pocketed her book and began ran to Kuoh, curses falling from her mouth, as she stumbled with whatever was in her way.

* * *

"So, this is Kuoh," Rudiger Rosenkreutz hummed after finally teleporting in front the entrance of the private school. No student roaming around the gates—which wasn't a big surprise—he thought. Around half an hour this place would be filled by girls. The sun wasn't even out, yet.

"If the information I've scavenged for is correct, then this is where Princess Cleria works as a headmistress." Not wasting a single second, he snapped his fingers and felt his demonic power wrap around his body, melting away after finishing tweaking Rudiger's appearance. Sighing, he passed a hand through his now brownish hair. "This'll do."

He sashayed like a waiter working in a five-star restaurant and his footfalls made no sound at all, he made sure to leave no trace of demonic power with a few seals of magic. While he knows a little of the school, he lacks knowledge about the town per se. Who knows, maybe there's a Stray Devil scurrying inside one of the rooms.

"Now, where is this supposed Student Council?" He massaged his chin, as he kept looking at the many installations, the sound of crickets chirping in the grass. "Is there a map at all?"

"Excuse me, but the school isn't open yet." A voice behind him said, breaking from his wonders and spinning around to face the stranger.

"Who are you?" Pater R.R.C. demanded, glaring at the black-eyed male, "You know this is an _all-girl_ _private_ school, correct? You shouldn't be here."

The man frowned, "I could say the same. You're trespassing." He countered. "As the secretary of this school, I ask you to turn around and walk away before I call the police."

Rudiger's eyes widened like saucers, "Wait a moment, secretary?" He asked, earning a doubtful nod, "Ah, perfect! I need to speak with the headmistress. It's about my daughter."

His frown deepened, "Your daughter studies here?"

"That's correct, mister."

He wasn't sold, he folded his arms, "What's her name?"

The Rosicrucian grinned, "Sae Toujou."

He glanced down, fumbling as he tried to remember the names on the list that was left on his desk weeks ago. Finally, he met his eyes. "I remember now. Today she was supposed to come earlier to the Student Council to check her papers, find a suitable classroom for her, and a small interview." He looked to the gate, then Rudiger's side, and finally the man before him, "Where is she?"

"My princess's ill," The silver-haired sighed sadly. "She has an _atrocious_ fever. Even under a light cotton sheet, she was radiating heat like a brick right out of the oven! So, I decided to do her part in her stead."

"… Since this is her first day, it won't be punishable, especially when she's not feeling well." He assured him. "I just hope she'll get better tomorrow, she can't skip a lot of classes."

"You and me both," He gestured to the Kuoh's installations. "Shall we move, then? My daughter's alone in the house, I don't want to waste time sightseeing the academy."

"Of course," He bowed. "I'm Masaomi Yaegaki—call me Masaomi, there's no necessity for formalities," Masaomi said, peeking up. "If you follow me, Mr. Toujou, we'll approach Academy's student body and further talk about the matter in hand," not wasting a sweat, he spun around and began walking, his long black hair fluttering in the wind.

Rudiger, however, did not obey. "I want to talk with the headmistress, personally." He stated, freezing the black-haired man, "So, if you're kind enough to lead me the way, I'll be grateful."

Masaomi sighed, rubbing his neck, "I'm sorry, but the headmistress is occupied right now."

The Magician blinked before chuckling, "I don't think you understand." He shook his head, arms crawling behind, slithering closer. "But this is important. I need to speak with her. _Now_."

Masaomi scowled, dusting his attire, "Then give me the message and when she's available, I'll inform her as soon as possible." He saw the twitch from his brow, "I understand you're—"

Rudiger laid a finger across Masaomi's forehead, tapping on the demonic power within him, he sent a small chunk of energy to the Japanese man's brain.

The ebony haired man couldn't help it. He gazed into those green, swirling, spiral orbs, the windows to the soul, his very... _alluring_ ... _compelling_... even _possessive_ soul…

"…" Rudiger took a step back, sighing, studying Yaegaki's irises shading going from the usual radial to gradient—eyelids drop.

"Let's try this again," The German coughed behind a fist, "Secretary, would you kindly take me to headmistress' office?"

Masaomi's mouth hung slightly open, before nodding and spinning around, walking unusually slowly, almost robotically, as if his brain was struggling to tell each foot to take the next step.

"Thank you," Mammon's Bishop said, stiffer than a leopard who stalks their prey. He followed from behind, gaze downwards. "I apologize, but you left me with no choice."

No answer came from the puppet.

* * *

"Here we are," Rudiger muttered, standing in front of the doors, sparing a glance at his navigator. Immediately looking away after regarding those dull eyes staring back at him, awaiting his next command, "I… appreciate your assistance, deeply." He drawled.

"…"

The silver-haired man corrected his collar, clearing his throat, before forcefully facing his temporal pawn, "At the snap of my fingers, you shall go back to the Student Council, and when you sit, you'll return to your true self. My appearance, name, our conversation, everything about me will leave your mind. Understood?"

"…"

Rudiger gulped, "R-Right." He snapped his fingers, his minion immediately obeying his command. Clashing shoulders with Rudiger as he resumed his weak steps, turning the corner, leaving his 'master' alone in the hall.

He felt his demonic energy once again work on his hair, turning to its previous color. He moved closer to the doorway.

The door stood towering above him—he let out a shaky breath. The dread and anxiety deadened his mind and body. In his frozen state, he sewed his jaded eyes, massaging his temples. "Calm yourself. You're doing this for Ludwig, nothing else." He mentally patted himself on the back and knocked on the door.

He waited.

…

"Who's there?" A female voice answered from the other side.

"It's me, Rudiger." He replied. "May I come in? I need to speak with you, Princess Cleria."

…

"…Umm." Cleria Belial trailed off, that's not a good signal for him. "… While I'm shocked you came here, to _Kuoh_ nonetheless, I'm… kind of occupied."

He planted his hand on the door, "Wait! It's important, please!"

He heard her groans, "I'm doing something important, too!"

"Like what?!"

Her feet shuffled behind the door, "… trying to, uh, take a nap."

He stared at the entrance, aghast, "… Are you serious?" She didn't reply, "Listen, this is an important subject, valuable for us. It's about your cousin, Prince Danhauser."

"… What's wrong with Danny?"

"It's about his strange case," Rudiger responded, "I need to know what you think about it."

The silence of the corridor made his blood as cold as the air that crept through an open window, but suddenly, he sighed in relief when the knob twisted with a soft click, followed by the door softly opening, "Come in." Cleria moved aside.

Muttering his gratitude, the Magician flew inside Cleria's office, pausing in the middle of the room to appreciate his new surroundings.

"Like it?" Cleria said with a yawn, walking past him and sitting with all the elegance of a sack of fresh potatoes. Her body seemed to adjust to the structure of the desk chair, even her face appeared to loosen and drop as if yanked by invisible strings gently downward.

"You don't look great," Rudiger commented after sitting so securely and with such a straight spine that he gave off the hallucination of being a particularly authoritarian school teacher.

Cleria glared behind her heavy eyes, "You _really_ know how to make a woman blush."

He winced, raising both hands, "I didn't mean to offend!"

"… It's fine, no worries," Cleria tried to soothe him, repetitively tapping her fingers on the desk, trying all she could to keep her eyes open. "So, what's wrong with my youngest cousin?"

The Upsetting Sorcerer clasped both hands, "I'll make this quick as possible, Princess Cleria," He closed his eyes and breathed, "In essence, have you seen any characteristic change or permanent alteration about your relative?"

Her eyes narrowed, accommodating her body as she leered at the Reincarnated Devil, "Why are you curious about Danny?"

He opened his eyes, "Diehauser gave me wide knowledge about his brother's case, and I had already discussed with the latter about his problem. Unfortunately, he has amnesia," He held the urge to scoff, "… This made it difficult to get appropriate answers. Hence the reason of why I came here so quickly, seeking high and low around the House of Belial." He nodded at her, "You're the last person who hasn't shared her thoughts with me."

Like rain on a glass pane, the strumming of her fingers was as ruthless as it was loud. Each drum of the polished nails on the table mirrored the tumultuous thudding of her heartbeat. She looked down and then up, her mouth open and ready to respond, but no answer came, much to his dismay.

At last, she laid a leg on the other. "Yes. He has changed. A lot… In a _good way_."

"… You don't sound too gleeful about this development."

She heaved a sigh, arms under her bust. "The current Danny is by far different—which is a good signal." She blew a few strands away, "But still, he's not the one that I cheered for."

"Huh," he maneuvered his elbows over the armchairs, "Kindly, keep going…"

Cleria bit her lip, "Pretty sure everyone told you when his Lazarus Syndrome struck, he became awkward and quiet. Previously he was the opposite—cheerful and sociable, he loved to play a lot… and he was _really_ racist to anything that was not a Devil." Her shoulders slumped slightly. "I don't even know how he befriended Tannin's son."

"Your cousin no longer harvesting hatred to different races is indeed a fresh breath, however, him losing the positive traits is really _that_ worrisome?"

She chuckled, "Not at all. There's nothing wrong about that, in fact, I find it cute, and it's justifiable. He did just come back from the dead." Her smile dropped, "The problem is... he's fixated on one thing."

"Like what?"

"Training." Using his silence for her own ends, she continued. "After vaulting out of his coffin, he asked Diehauser to _train him_ in hand-to-hand combat and Worthlessness, even when the doctor advised him to _lie down_. When Uncle Coda came to pay us a visit he asked him is to _teach him_ the way of the spear and the Malebranche's House trait!" She buried her face in her palms, groaning. "It's like he's getting ready to fight a boss!"

"A _Training Maniac?_ " The German blurted out, earning a sluggish nod. "Hopefully, you have comments and suggestions from different parties…?"

"Everyone knows about this." She laid her hands once again on the desk, "Calcabrina told me because Diehauser is a role model for Danny to look up to. Diehauser stated that he's preparing himself for the incoming Devil Gathering. Uncle Coda said he's training to become the new Champion of the Rating Games. Gilles' thoughts are—!"

"What about yours?" Rudiger's smile wobbled slightly, "What do you think about this?"

Cleria frowned and slouched in the desk chair. "… At first, I thought he had _bigorexia_ —maybe he does, who knows." She sank further into her seat. "I just want to spend more time with my cousins, you know? Unfortunately, one of them is the _Head Senator_ and the other is a _Training Maniac_ … the only thing I have here is just a bunch of exorcists." She laughed weakly, making the German wince at the lack of emotion. "… I know it's none of my business, but still…"

Then again, she did ask for it. She knew that by moving away from the Belial Territory and building a new life with humans in Japan, she would be separated from her family. Sometimes it's great, those moments are when she doesn't need to smell the repugnance of Noble Devils, the bad ones are when she can no longer stay with her Clan, she's stuck here, like her family, she has an important role to benefit the House of Belial.

At least Masaomi is here to make things fun.

"What?" Rudiger stared as if she just grew a pair of horns, her previous words slapping him. "There are _exorcists_ on these streets, and you are by _yourself?!_ "

"Well, yeah…" The gray-haired devil straightened up, "But it's fine, _really_! They can't touch me, nor I can lay a finger on them…"

"… Cleria, if you wish I can put a few magic seals on your house's entrance and the school gates, to keep you alarmed when something dangerous happens."

She rolled her eyes with a faint smile, a beautiful sight to behold, "Thanks, _dad_ , but as I said, I'm fine." She clasped her hands together, "We're drifting away from the subject." Her smile vanished and her gray eyes honed. "Now, I ask you. What do you think? Who do you agree with?"

The Rosicrucian froze and looked down at his balled fists, _"What if…?"_

Cleria focused on the Magician, her curiosity growing like a cat adjusted upon its prey. "Rudiger… are you alright?"

He looked away from his clenched hands, startling the woman. "Princess Cleria, I know this may sound impossible to believe, but Prince Danhauser _is not_ himself. He's an entirely a new person."

Cleria's face fell faster than a pair of cement boots. At that minute her skin paled slightly, her mouth hung with lips slightly parted and her eyes were as large as they could strain. She shook her head. "W-What?"

"There's a spirit and a soul inside of him. They have fused thus creating a new being." Rudiger explained, "I need your help, Princess Cleria. I need you to bring him here, so I can take the soul out of his body."

"… B-but what you're saying… wouldn't that hurt him… _kill him?_ " She whispered, gasping behind her hands. "R-Rudiger, we can't…! You need to calm—!"

She was silenced by a digit pressed on her forehead, and before she could express her confusion, she felt the sudden changes around the dilation over her pupil; they grew and shortened, she couldn't move, blink, scream, or defend herself, her hands and feet straining involuntarily against an unrecognizable force.

It wasn't just a modest tingle that travels underneath her brain. Not at all. It was as though someone had attached a live wire to each and every one of her nerves and her body convulsed as the turbulent energy pulsed through her.

She felt like a void. A dark void. A _never-ending_ dark void that feeds on everything, left feeling nothing. Empty.

Finally, Rudiger reclaimed his finger, stood up, turned around, and walked away.

Rudiger paused at the doorway—hand over the knob, letting his orbs roam over the room. He'd have to get out, he knew he would, but for an odd reason, he couldn't, he just gritted his teeth and balled his hand around the knob.

His green pools rambled over Cleria's heavy eyelids, breaking eye contact right away. His inner-self arise to defend his actions. _"You're just doing this for your son Ludwig. He didn't deserve to have difficulty in childbirth. He was born with a curse. You're doing the right thing."_ But still, it bothered him, the lonely woman who thirsts for her cousin's company, she who trusted him enough to offer some information and a seat, was not enough to wipe out the sin called guilt.

He turned back, lips halfway open for an honest apology, but as he got a better look on the devil, her forehead dropped on the desk with a harsh thud, ending the staring contest. His mouth clenched, turning back to the door and twisting the knob completely, leaving the scene.

As he stood behind the door, he saw two school girls passing through the corridors, their faces relaxed as they discussed a new terrible song on the internet. They weren't taxed with guilt—nothing disturbed them from their world. Their eyes landed on him. Grinning, they doubled their movements, shifting closer to one another and giggling as they spare constant glances over him. Oblivious to what happened to their beloved headmistress.

…

Rudiger Rosenkreutz had done his job well.

* * *

As the broad recognition, and the result of his previous misdemeanors, finally sank in, the abyss of his stomach whisked, and he collapsed onto the gray couch. From out of the very depths of his essence, flowed all his emotions, and as the groaning flow passed his throat, it became a cry of admittance, a wail reaching out for atonement.

"Can you shut up, Malacoda?" Matanbuchus Belial snapped, putting to a brief end to the conversation between father and sons. "Your whining is getting annoying."

Evil Tail tumbled the back side of his palm over his temple and howled louder.

"If it makes you feel better, uncle. I never meant to punch you hard," Diehauser Belial explained. "Adrenaline possessed me."

Malacoda's eyes popped out, "Whoa! _Hol' up_!" He sat on the couch's folded pleats cross-legged. Far less stress, far more comfortable as he'd always say. "This isn't your fault, kid!" He said, rubbing where his nephew conveniently had laid his last punch, wincing. He nodded at his red-colored apparel. "Hey, let me use your coat. Left my jacket in the arena."

"But, it's cold."

His uncle's retorts were silenced by a blanket landing over his head. He yanked it down and glared at his brother-in-law. An undignified grunt escapes his mouth, the sound misshapen at the point of impact. " _Fine_ , I'll shut up."

"Good," Diehauser's father said, once again facing his two sons—mostly Danhauser—finding a proper seat ontop his desk, "Something you need to know is that we're spirits made of magic and a specific element that differs us from other creatures. " He gestured at his son with a hand's sway, "What's our element, Dan?"

"… Demonic Power?"

"Correct. It's Demonic Power," He repeated. "Pure Angels' element is Light. Fallen Angels? Just like the latter. Vampires? Shadows. Dragons? Outrage and so on…" He flexed his fingers. "True Form is not an ability centralized only to Devils. _ALL_ mythical creatures can obtain one. Humans, can't. Hybrids can, too."

"Why name it True Form?" Danhauser blurted out, watching his father sigh, pass a hand through his hair, and stand up with an arm stretch.

"Because that's literally our True Form." He responded, kneeling in front of his son, his hands sliding across Danhauser's cheeks, yanking them. "This is just skin—not our real form. A mere camouflage to mingle ourselves with humankind, perhaps to also lock all the condensed energy within us."

Danhauser's eyes widened, massaging his aching cheeks subconsciously. Realization struck him. "Wait. What Diehauser fought was…?"

He smirked, standing up, "That's right. Your brother had brawled against Coda's spirit, the way he really looks, his real appearance, Malacoda Malebranche is an _abomination_ made of the _repugnant_ and _stickiest_ Resin."

"Fuck off," Malacoda scoffed, wrapping the warm sheet around his upper body.

He ignored him. "In truth, his spirit is made of Demonic Power, identical to all Devilkin. But the power of imagination _forcefully_ turned him into the thing that he was closely related to— _Pitch Resin_."

"Father, what can True Form do?"

"… True Form lets you unleash and amplify your hidden power and abilities to the fullest and incredible magnitude through sheer force of will. True Form grants the user the power that lies within their spirit, granting them feats that unbound the laws of _magic, science, logic, and divinity_ and is _independent_ of such forces, for true power is at it's the purest capability unimaginable."

"He stretched like rubber during the fight," mumbled Danhauser. The fight of Titans between The Emperor and Evil Tail recorded before his gray eyes. Not only Malacoda could stretch, he did many things that made the Belial's head burn like a marshmallow on fire. Something he noted about his uncle's Resin Form, is that Diehauser's punches weren't tickling him at all, but when The Emperor engulfed his fists with Demonic Power, that was a different story. Does Demonic Power need to be superior to Malacoda's? "That's one of his feats, isn't it?"

"Exactly. When our uncle tapped into his True Form, he could not only manipulate Resin. His control over Resin _enhanced_ by a wide margin, he could _stretch_ , _regenerate_ , _absorb damage_ , _mold himself_ —and many other things." Diehauser answered for his father. "When the user liberates their True Form, they are able to do anything that is tied to their abilities to unplumbed achievements, and the power is so dominant that if the user is ever done with it, it is never truly gone, but merely locked away once again. If the user successfully unlocks it again, the powers that were supposed to be lost are reawakened and perhaps stronger than before. That's True Form. You could say it's very much alike to a Sacred Gear's Balance Breaker."

"…" Danhauser stayed quiet and glanced down at his pale-gray hands, clenching them. He had lacked knowledge about the matter at hand, even if he went to dig in the humongous library, there wasn't a book where it explained such frightening power. If only he knew Malacoda had True Form, then he wouldn't have wasted his time by searching old notes all over the Belial Territory.

 _"Wait. They know what a Balance Breaker is?"_ He held the urge to openly facepalm, _"I'm an idiot."_

If Matanbuchus spilled the truth, then the spirit of a Vampire is made of Shadows. While the spirit of a Devil is made of Demonic Energy.

Behind his skin, muscles and veins hid the dormant demonic power that is begging to be unleashed. Danhauser sees such ability in its purest form. How do you define it? The answer is like defining an atom. Demonic Power is the building block of which all other spells form. It's like some sort of metaphysical clay, supercharged with electricity.

In a sense, demonic power does not summon fire or ice—it becomes _demonic_ fire and _demonic_ ice with the appropriate use of imagination. Just as atoms can be built and changed, to become molecules, and molecules can become elements, and so on—Demonic power's possibilities are, possibly, limitless.

Demonic Power cannot be _created_ or _destroyed_ , only _transformed_.

 _"Then to reach such power… I need to transform my spirit?"_ He pursed his lips. Suddenly, a question brightened his brain. "If I somehow found a way to use True Form, which one would I have? Worthlessness or Pitch Resin?"

"… I don't know," Matanbuchus trailed off after sitting on top of his desk once again, "True Form is such an _anomaly_. Only three Devils have obtained it, two of them are alive, the other one is dead." He bit his thumb, fishing for understandable words, "… It's impossible to give you a concrete answer. Since professionals don't have the chance to study this subject deeper, left only with crumbs." He nodded at Malacoda, "They've tried to take blood samples while he was in that state and guess what they got?"

"Resin!" Malacoda chirped. "Literally, all my insides were made of Resin."

"And don't get me started with Sirzechs Lucifer." Matanbuchus shuddered. "Besides, who knows if your brother is correct or even myself. I've just told you what I heard long ago."

Danhauser clicked his tongue. Could it be one of his two Clan Traits or maybe they'll fuse in True Form mode? Or he'll be allowed to use which one whenever he wants? If he had to choose, then _Worthlessness_ all the way.

Finally, he asked the one million dollar question. "How can I trigger my True Form?"

"…" Matanbuchus sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose, signaling to Malacoda. "You know what to do."

"Aye, aye!" Malacoda clasped both hands to steal his nephew's attention, "Look! The way to activate your True Form is by possessing 'Immense demonic levels,' control it, and have your body strong enough to withstand the increased power and transformation!"

"... I see," Danhauser said after a brief silence. It was obvious he needed at most Ultimate Demonic Powers to obtain his True Form. He stared at his brother. "You know, you can actually do the same, right?"

"Of course he can!" Malacoda answered for Diehauser, "But… there's a small problem."

"What?"

"…It's actually _prohibited_ to have a True Form—"

"You're kidding, right?" Looking at the deadpan stare of Diehauser was sufficient to shatter his excitement, "Did you just forget you just _fought_ uncle in his _True Form_? And that the _current_ Lucifer also has one?"

"Their respective government allowed them to use it," Diehauser explained nonchalantly. "As I was saying. True Form is prohibited unless you have permission from the higher-ups. I never said it was banned."

"Something like a driver's license?"

"Pretty much."

Danhauser bit his cheek, arms folded, "Still, I don't see anything wrong with it…"

"There's an old saying of _Archmage Merlin Ambrosius_... Control your thirst for magic... an unending thirst it is." Diehauser quoted. "Any kind of magic is corrupting and addictive. True Form is not an exception. Just picture this, every time you cast it, your _whole_ body is _morphing_ and when you go back to your normal state… you think you'll be _one hundred percent_ the one you were back then? There must be something that has changed for good. From appearance or worse—your mentality." He grimaced. "Plus, it's a threatening ability, a great example is Crimson Satan, by only releasing a fragment of Power of Destruction, he could make earthquakes—"

Matanbuchus scoffed, "Look who's talking."

"…Across the Underworld and inflict permanent damage."

His father then nodded. "Even Malacoda, who appears to have dominance over his True Form, it had been frowned by the citizens of Dis. Nonetheless, through favorable circumstances, they bestowed upon him the ability to cast such frightening transformation around the Empire of Divine Comedy and Malebolge."

"It… makes sense," Danhauser blew air from his nose. He didn't even need to ask what his uncle could do. Perhaps sink the whole city of Dis with a lake of Resin. "Can I have permission to have my True Form, please?"

The three adults shared glances, staring suddenly becoming their only pattern of communication. They shrugged, nodded, tilted their heads, and groaned, leaving Danhauser standing impatiently in the background.

Finally, The Emperor sighed and turned to his brother. "We will see."

Danhauser's shoulders slumped slightly, it was either a yes or a no. It seems he has to prove them he has the capabilities to wield properly True Form.

Challenge accepted.

Danhauser hummed and faced his brother. "Can I at least know the requisites, please?"

"You need the green lights of the Senate, a Maou, and Lord Bael or the first Great King, Zekram Bael," Diehauser replied. "When you have received their blessings, you can freely use your True Form _IN_ Ars Goetia's Territory. You can't use it on Dis, Malebolge, or Extra Demons' grounds. For that, you need their approval, too."

He frowned and slowly nodded, his mind was still a surging perplexity. Knowing the government, it may take YEARS for the headquarters of the 72 Pillars to approve this, that doesn't mean that he can't set up his training.

Matanbuchus perceived this. "Since Dis' districts are governed by the wealthiest people—you need to seek for the richest Houses encompassing the Citadel." He bit his lip and stood up, staring at the clock hanging on the wall. "Well, it seems it's time for you three to move back to Ars Goetia. Wish we could speak more and properly, but unfortunately, I have some business to attend with some unpleasant guests."

 _"Finally,"_ Danhauser had to endure the impulse of screaming his thoughts out, not because of his father's first impression, but the city, in general, is a complete piece of shit, it still baffles him how children could live in an environment like this one, regardless of how much fortune the Houses make around the Empire of Divine Comedy, it isn't a place to let toddlers wander around, especially when they have enemies behind those humongous walls.

But all in all, it was worth it. He finally gathered enough information, all this adventure was worth it.

"I understand," Danhauser shifted closer and wrapped his arms around his father. "It was great meeting you, dad."

He felt a palm brushing off his hair, followed by a pained chuckle, "The pleasure is all mine, Dan. You don't know how much it relieves me to know you're breathing and blinking."

Danhauser just broke the hug and gave an awkward wave. He spun around and walked to the doors.

"Diehauser, before you go, I need to speak with you, alone." He had heard to his father's last words, "I think we both know what issue is, so, make yourself comfortable."

The Emperor breathed out heavily but nodded. "You two get back to the train."

"Sure," Malacoda replied, pushing the door open to let his nephew move outside, hastily locking the door. "Let's leave the two big guys to mind their business and go back to the train, _Capisci?_ "

Danhauser just bobbed his head and chased after his uncle's tail.

* * *

"There you go!" Evil Tail cheered for the young Belial, sitting in front of him, arms behind his neck, watching his nephew manipulate practice with his House Trait.

Danhauser bit his tongue but made sure to offer a drop to express his gratitude, he kept his hands in the air, as if he was praising an omnipotent being residing in the gates of Heaven. "W-What now?" He wheezed out, arms trembling, struggling to not stare the window's train to distract himself.

"Stay like that until you're exhausted," Diehauser suggested, watching how the table wears the Belial symbol proudly, large enough to touch its corners. "Try making some resin from the circle."

Danhauser sucked a poor lump of air and carefully rolled his shoulders in hopes to keep them painless. Finally, he jerked his fingers upwards, as if he was fishing with only his digits inside the sigil. His efforts bore fruits. In the middle of the gray sigil, stood the tip of his spell, like a small plant began to emerge and eventually break through the soil.

But it wasn't enough—he grounded his teeth and yanked harshly in an attempt to extract his complete creation.

"Nice work!" His uncle complimented him, eyeing the tendril as it stood as straight as a tree. "It's not huge as I would imagine, but good enough for a newbie!"

Danhauser groaned shamelessly but still kept his aching hands in the air. Since he'd saw the battle between his brother and uncle, Danhauser had the urge to enhance his second unique ability. Belial kept working out until his skin takes on a glossy shine and the salty drops invade his eye. He had thought it'd be as easy as drinking gallons of water.

He shook his head and put his whole attention back on his invention, smiling. It was as if he was a snake charmer that succeeded in hypnotizing his cobra. Every time he clenched his hands, the tendril of resin would obey by curling. Whenever he moved his hand to the left side, it'd follow his master's movements, like a puppet.

He was in love. Magic is by far, the most _amazing_ thing in the whole world. Period. Sure, the pile of resin he had just invoked may look pathetic in the eyes of professionals, but still. To cast spells by weaving demonic energy around the roots of your fingers is something that he would never get tired of. For him, this is better than grasping a gun or driving a private jet.

Suddenly, a joint spurt around his arm, his own demonic power backfiring on him. He crumbled his assiduous work, the Belial insignia vanishing by its master's sharp command.

"You distracted yourself," The voice said, as he massaged his wrists in hopes of healing the aching muscles. "Every time you're using the demonic power you have to keep your mind clean from other thoughts."

"Sorry," Danhauser said after his uncle ended his reprimands. "I got excited."

Malacoda lifted both shoulders up, "Its fine to get thrilled, just don't make that mistake in a deadly fight. _Capisci?_ " He heard Danhauser hum. "As you can see, you can make magic circles and from there summon a decent chunk of resin and control it, even if you're far away from your circle." He pressed a hand against the wall beside him, and immediately took it away, a limb made of resin pursuing after him, "You just need obstruction to make your seals and summon the Malebranche's trait. It doesn't work on skin, though."

"…" Diehauser saw the conversation drop and lay deeper on his seat, his fingers initially migrating to the table before ending on his toned stomach, leaving the porcelain like-plate in the hands of his brother to practice magic with. He distracted himself with the failed attempts of Danhauser, his face as passive as it would be in slumber, but he would slip out a chuckle now and then, much to Danhauser's irritation.

Diehauser lifted an arm, moving closer, shaking Danhauser's shoulder lightly. Though he was conscious, he fluttered open his eyes as if from a wide sleep and smiled that same smile he wore after accomplishing something by himself. His voice tumbled out softly, "Yes?"

"You should rest," Diehauser said, "You'll be really exhausted if you keep training so much, you did more than enough."

Danhauser bit his cheek and examined his fingers, then at his brother before abruptly looking once again down at his digits, repeating the same process. He sighed and erased the grey sigil from the table, "Fine…" He shifted for a comfortable spot on his seat. "Wake me up when we reach home, okay?"

"Sure."

…

"Father changed," Diehauser said, smiling.

Malacoda grinned and smashed a fist proudly over his chest. " _Told you!_ The man was a grumpy ass back then, the only thing that made him happy was both of you and sis, The Pillars' government had him limping!" He shot him a wink. "I'm surprised you're still all calm, after all, you're filling your daddy's shoes now."

Diehauser rubbed his face. "Honestly? The first days were _okay_ , but now they've turned tiring." He looked at his uncle's light-red eyes. "Sometimes, I wished Lord Bael would let me do my job at my own pace and get out of… nevermind."

Evil Tail grinned until his eyes seemed to close. "Go on, say it! Don't hold back, 'Hauser!"

The Emperor bit his lip and thought about it, quickly shaking his head. "I can't, mom doesn't like—!"

"Seriously?" Malacoda groaned, pinching his nose. "Come on! Sister isn't here! Heck, you're old enough to curse! But if that worries you, then sis won't know, I promise!"

His lips twitched, "… I wish Lord Bael would climb down off my ass."

"There you go!" His uncle playfully punched his shoulder—the grin hasn't waned a little. "Feels good, yeah?"

Diehauser rolled his eyes, smiling a little. "I guess so."

…

"What are your plans for today, Uncle?" Diehauser asked, observing Danhauser's relaxed state. "Are you still going to stay a few more days or leave?"

"Nope. I'm only accompanying you guys back to Ars Goetia, after that, I have to stay with Buchus. He's going to have a chit-chat with a bunch of asses." His barbed tail began to wave slowly. "For all one knows, this Faction could be a huge benefactor for the District of Lucifuge."

"Who?"

"I think you know who."

"Not really."

His smile disappeared. "… The Fourth King of Tepes," said Malacoda with hesitance. "The Nosferatu is back, and he's in Dis."

Diehauser frowned. "And my father is alone with someone like him?"

"Don't sweat your underwear." He pointed himself. "A Malebranche doesn't hide with his tail between his legs. The bloodsucker's done for if he pulls a hair out of Buchus' head. I promise."

"That's all I needed to hear, thank you."

"That's what family is for, Diehauser." His uncle saluted and whacked Danhauser with his tail. "So, what's up, brat? Are you dropping the act now or…?"

…

"… You knew?" Danhauser mumbled as he rubbed his head.

"That we did," Diehauser replied.

Danhauser winced at the stares of both Ultimate-Devils. "Uh, sorry for eavesdropping…"

"It's fine, don't worry." The Emperor shrugged, "Everyone has done it before." He poked his brother's forehead. "Just don't do it again and don't overthink about the Vampires' subject thing too much, you have school. I want you concentrated. Now get back to sleep."

Danhauser smiled faintly and obeyed.

* * *

Tobio Ikuse clicked his tongue,"So, vampires?" He repeated. "That doesn't sound great."

"Relax," said Danhauser Belial as he took a seat and rolled his neck. "I highly doubt we're going to be in contact with them. Only with the city where my father works."

"Even then, it's good to be informed what's happening outside the Belial Territory," Siegfried added his two cents. "It's still worrisome, though. Why the vampires are fixated on that city?"

"…I'm in the dark as you are," Danhauser admitted. A part of him shivering when he had heard the word Tepes taking off his uncle's mouth, his heart nearly sank like a boat. Mostly because Lucifer's son maybe has already shaken hands with the Tepes Faction, or to be more specific, with Marius Tepes, Valerie Tepes' half-brother.

Or maybe Marius hasn't met up with Rizevim, yet?

"Then there's not much to discuss of this." Siegfried's voice snapped him back. "But for safe measure, if anyone of you is alone with a vampire, don't run away, they're fast, just yank their fangs out." He paused. "I speak from experience."

Danhauser and Tobio shared a glance before turning back at the exorcist.

Siegfried caught their stares. "Vampires are part of the family tree of the undead, their organs are weaker than that of a human, they need blood to keep them functioning Their fangs' purpose is to transport blood directly to the heart and keep it from pumping." He chuckled and smiled slightly. "If they lose their precious teeth, they'll slowly and painfully die either from blood loss or hunger."

…

"… Right," said Tobio after an awkward silence. "I'll keep that in mind if in some way I spot a vampire in Japan."

"Please do so," The swordsman said, those red eyes meandering all over the room. "Master, may I ask what are we doing here? Are we supposed to expect someone in the main room?"

The King clasped both hands, "… Yes, we are waiting for a special guest."

"Bova?" Tobio tried to guess, in which Danhauser merely shook his head. "Who?"

"Siegfried's best friend," Danhauser quickly replied after kneading his temple with a sigh. "Hopefully, we'll end this as fast as possible."

The silver-haired blinked, "Refresh my mind, but as far as I have been here, I hadn't interacted with any servant traipsing around the manor."

"Plus, there's are literally no one from our age around here," Tobio supplemented as he dropped next to his master, Jin following suit. "I'm not saying that you can't make friends with a geezer, but still…"

The knock came quietly first and then there was silence. The three huddled on the sofa, the black dog whimpering quietly. The knock was louder and faster this time, they stood next to Danhauser who stared at the door, unmoving. "Stop making this as if we're in a horror movie. Just come in."

A giggle slipped before the door finally unlocked. "Ah, Young Master! I apologize for my tardiness—I was assisting your dear mother with something essential." He bowed. "Welcome home, by the way."

Siegfried gasped, "You!" He growled, pointing a finger at the French Butler. "What the hell are you doing here, bastard?"

Gilles de Rais stood up properly, smiling, "Now, now. A filthy pig should only squeak when the butcher is yanking its tail off, so, why are you squeaking? You miserable animal."

Tobio stared at his King, "So, best friends?"

"Okay, okay!" Danhauser jumped in front of the enraged Knight with Tobio gripping his arm. "Gilles, I have invited you here for another reason, one of them doesn't involve headbutting my servant, understood?"

The blue-haired man sighed, "Unfortunate, but I shall concede, let us get to the point, then." The man closed the door and moved closer, pulling a sheet of paper from his armor. "Here are all the ingredients I need you to obtain in Rosenkreutzer."

Siegfried broke free from the brunet's grasp. "What's this nonsense, master?" Once again, he pointed an accusing finger at the amused Queen, "What business do you have with the likes of him?"

"In a nutshell—he has personal data of a Magician called Rudiger. He will only tell me if I accepted his quest which involves buying things that can be only found in Rudiger's Institute."

"Honestly, I was expecting only you, Young Master." He eyed the two Knights and the growling dog, grinning wickedly. "But three weaponless young boys, and the only exit right behind me?" He laid a hand on his chest. "Oh my, my, is today my birthday? Heh."

"What's that supposed to mean…?" Tobio whispered to the silver-haired.

Siegfried just kept glaring daggers.

Unfortunately, Gilles heard him, "Ah, I think it would be wise to arrange some introductions, first." He bowed. "I salute you, young man. I am Gilles de Rais. Queen of the Emperor."

"Wait a moment," The Ex-exorcist drawled, eyes wide. "Are you the infamous _Bluebeard_?! The one who had been accused by the Church of the murder thousands of children?!"

"Wait, what?!" Tobio jumped back. "A child murderer is in a room with us?"

"Why oui, that would be a perfect statement," Gilles giggled behind his hand. "Who would have thought? Popularity stalks me even after my execution."

After analyzing the nest of trouble they had jumped in, Tobio's eyes widened, not hesitating on shooting his Master a sharp glare.

Danhauser in return curved an eyebrow. "What?"

"Why did you bring us here?"

"… You guys are in my Peerage. I need you by my side no matter what, especially when I'm facing danger." He nodded at Gilles, who was having a staring contest with Siegfried. "… The talk I'm about to have with Gilles is also important. I prefer if you two—" Jin barked. " _Three_ paid attention to this."

Tobio's glare didn't falter. "In other words, you're using us as meatshields?"

Danhauser winced. "Whoa there, if I were using you as a meatshield, I would not be here, and I would have _forced_ you guys to fetch the information for me."

"True that," Tobio nodded, but the stare was still there. "… no offense, I don't care about the history of a Magician," continued the brunet. "All I care is about the kidnapped students and teachers of my former school."

Danhauser kept his lips sealed and shrugged, breaking eye contact—he wasn't going to have a discussion with his Knight. "Fair enough."

Siegfried, on the other hand, focused on the source of his anger. "I can't believe someone like you has been bestowed a second chance."

Gilles gripped his chest. "Please stop offending me, I am close to tears!"

"… You're not taking this seriously, are you?" Siegfried didn't wait for his response. "Don't you understand how many lives you have ruined with your wrongdoings? Have you regretted all the sins you have committed, murderer?"

Gilles' cheerfulness disappeared, he glanced down at his nails. "They ruined me first, Siegfried." He said in a low tone. "They took away from me the purest Being that this world had to offer," Danhauser swore to see a _genuine smile_ bloom on his face, but it vanished immediately by a bitter laugh. "This Creature was the only one who could soften my heart of stone. She burned at the stake and with Her, burned my last warm feelings for humanity."

"… Gilles," Danhauser called softly, in complete optimism of not triggering a damaged circuit from his brain. "We're here to talk about Rudiger's past, remember?"

Belial's words hadn't made any sort of effect. Danhauser spoke out again but this time a little louder. Finally, Gilles' eyes blinked faster than light itself, successfully breaking from his temporal trance. He regained his posture and coughed behind a clenched fist. "As you wish."

* * *

"For Maou's sake!" Danhauser nearly screamed and yanked his hair out. "I just want to speak with him!"

The man adjusted his glasses, glaring down at the Devil. "For the last time, Pater R.R.C., doesn't have time to interact with youngsters." The Queen stated harshly. "Neither is he in the mood to be visited by strangers, either give me the message or kindly leave."

Danhauser rubbed his face. The moment when Bluebeard had told him everything about the Rosicrucian's past was the moment he understood Rudiger's persistence on demanding for his name during that day. Now, he's here in Germany, or to be more specific, in Rosenkreutzer, interesting enough, not so far away is the Grauzauberer, where Chairman Mephisto Pheles currently is trying to keep things organized.

The Heir of Belial has a neutral relationship with nature, but he understood why many people are fawning over it, Rosenkreutzer is a great example of it. When they stepped in front of the building, it looked more like a dome, connected with more domes. The organization was very well hidden from civilization. The inside was where the show commenced, it took the appearance of a garden or greenhouses, trees that nearly touched the roof and bushes growing fruits that were unknown by Danhauser, as well as a river with bridges for people to cross. He had tried to look up and study the ceiling, but he'd always looked away when the powerful light poked his eyes. With the small glimpses he had caught, they were gigantic sunflowers pointing downwards, brightening the whole Academy.

Definitely, Rudiger and his students—or commonly known as the Rosicrucians—have a deep fondness for Mother Nature, hence their notable abuse of Alchemy and studies on Botany to bring back extinct plants or trees, and who knows? Invent their own vegetation, unlike the other Academies. In fact, every time Danhauser's in school he would always spot Magdaran Bael with a book written by them.

Perhaps if Rudiger wandered around the City of Dis, he would faint right on the spot.

To reach this place was easier than he thought, maybe because of Gilles' assistance. The Frenchman had to lie to convince his King of letting Danhauser go to the organization. It worked, but he had immediately faced Calcabrina's reproachings for leaving 'school homework' at the last minute, Diehauser was annoyed, too. His brother obviously accompanied him, not wishing to let his young brother wander around without someone watching over him, even if the institute belongs to a friend of his. The Emperor, however, decided to stay slightly behind to buy some things from the institute, something that his mother urged him to collect.

He was now definitely scared of Gilles de Rais. For an obvious reason, he _lied_ to his King, just for the purpose of letting Danhauser visit Rudiger's Academy and buy the ingredients that Gilles had wrote for Belial. Danhauser had tried to take a peek at the list, he had ultimately given up when he read the first component on the note. It was a word beyond his vocabulary, heck, he doubts it's even in the dictionary! Perhaps a new element solely discovered in the Supernatural World that Rudiger had found who knows when and how?

Dear Maou. First Cleria's unknown relationship with the exorcist Masaomi, then the group of terrorists that, sooner or later, would commence their hunting season, the two preys being Tobio and Sae. Rudiger's actions, the strange case of the Tepes Faction, and out-of-nowhere Gilles de Rais riding the same boat?

When he had discovered Gilles de Rais' existence, he had to fathom something wrong was going to occur which involves the blue-haired Frenchman pulling the strings. He had talked with Diehauser about this, the latter knowing from Gilles' past and assured him that he's reformed now, hence the reason of why his Queen became Danhauser's babysitter back then.

All in all, whatever Gilles is scheming, is not something great, the blue-haired man, however, guaranteed him that it won't disturb the House of Belial or the whole world. Danhauser doubts it.

Danhauser shook his head and returned the stare to the supposed Queen of Rudiger. "Sorry, but this is personal." Belial apologized, arms folded. "I won't move from here until I can speak face to face with Pater R.R.C."

He paid no mind to the vein shaping on his temple. The bespectacled man was about to snap until something interrupted him. "Let him enter." A familiar voice came from a buzzer.

The man stared wide-eyed, mouth slightly open. Slowly, he fixed back on the Devil who was staring back at him with an eyebrow lifted. He fumbled and moved aside.

"Thank you," Danhauser approached the door with a nervous twitch in his step. Somehow, he knew this wasn't going to be easy. Danhauser and Rudiger hadn't had a positive conversation the last time they met, and Maou knows how the time apart has changed his mind. But Danhauser hardened himself—he can't leave things the way they are now. Especially when this is a misunderstanding.

Taking a deep breath, Danhauser tapped the buzzer beside the door. Just barely audible over the howl of the frozen winds that are attacking the walls from outside. A moment passed before a small holoscreen next to the door shuddered to life, showing him the familiar face of the natural Magician. His natural, kind-hearted attitude, replaced by a weary, sad look.

"Greetings… Prince Danhauser," He said, angling the camera to the face. "I knew sooner or later, you'd come to talk. I'll unlock the door, Come on down."

The screen ends inelegantly, followed by a click from the door. A magic circle bustles, sliding it out of the way and revealing a small landing inside, leading into a spiraling stairway down. Looks like the hovel topside is nothing more than an entrance to an underground office. Danhauser stepped inside and looked down, groaning under his breath.

"I hate stairs," With one last self-steadying breath, he made his way down. Sparing constant glances at the walls while he kept himself secured on the handrail, sometimes he would caress the walls decorated with vines until his fingers reached the red petals of a rose. The workstation must be eight feet underground—he thought, and the stairs dumped him into a small but comfortable office behind a colorful cloth curtain, controlled by a half-circle couch facing a glass table and a holoscreen that dominates the eastern wall. There, at the desk, was Rudiger focused on the sheets below his hands, the scribbles coming from his pen was enough to answer Belial's curiosity.

Nervousness.

This was the emotion that resided in Danhauser. He wasn't surprised when the goosebumps began roaming across his grayish skin. After all, he had finished talking with Gilles for one or half an hour. He has little arguments. He came to Rosenkreutzer with limited words and comebacks, he barely had time to digest everything that the Queen had told him.

Diehauser came, too, but he stayed behind, buying things from their mother, leaving Danhauser alone on this frightening quest. Much to his relief.

Obviously, he has to keep things neutral with Rudiger Rosenkreutz. Danhauser doesn't think that there's going to be a friendly relationship after this talk is concluded.

He had seen a corpse in front of his own eyes, nearly had a fight against a werewolf, if it wasn't for the Marshall of Belial. But from all those previous experiences, it can't be matched with this matter in hand. He's going to fight—verbally—with perhaps the strongest Reincarnated Devil that the Underworld had ever seen, even written tales of him throughout his road to becoming the 7th Champion of the Rating Games.

Not even Tannin, a Dragon King whose powers is on par with the Four Great Satans, can outduel the Upsetting Sorcerer.

"Welcome to Rosenkreutzer," He said after suspending his handwriting. "I apologize if the place looks as if a hurricane had stepped inside."

"It's fine," was Danhauser's response, the man once again resuming his writing.

…

A moment had passed with Danhauser eying Rudiger with sidelong glances before he sighed and rested a hand on his neck. "So… um… right." The gray-haired started, biting his lip to stifle another awkward sigh. "Damn it. I had a whole thing I've been thinking since I left Belial Territory, and now…. I'm lost for words. Ha." He chuckled humorlessly. "Look, I... I don't even know what to think about anything now. Since the day you paid my brother a visit, I had been thinking about our previous conversation, you were all this time inside my head, I don't know if that's what you wanted and… yeah. Somehow, of all the things I ever imagined you to be, a man searching for the impossible wasn't one of them. "

From the moment the Heir of Belial began to bring incoherency, the silver-haired man had left his pen away. He tilted his head slightly. "What are you babbling about, Prince Danhauser?"

"Playing the dumb card now, really?" The youth Devil just rolled his head back, letting his grayish hair mask his face from Rudiger. "I'm sure you have a lot you want to say, too, but I need to get this off my chest first: I am not Ludwig Rosenkreutz."

Danhauser looked down once more at the green eyes of the Magician, surprised to see the same facial expression.

"Is that all?" Rudiger finally asked, once again resuming his work.

"…Yes, that's all."

"Hm. So it seems."

…

Danhauser felt like a stick in the middle of a sword fight, but at least he got the job done. When the heavy silence settled over them, the gray-haired youth's unsettled eyes sauntered unceremoniously around to have a better view of the many bookshelves, he doesn't know the location, but he could hear a chimney roaring with fire somewhere. He grasped his hands and played with his thumbs, slowly shuffling his feet against the wooden floor while small grunts escaped from Rudiger's throat.

"Apologies for everything I have done." Rudiger broke the heavy atmosphere, pushing aside the tower of signed papers. The Magician now spotlighting the stunned Devil, a smile breaking from his face. The smile was… different. It hurt Danhauser's heart a little. "Back then, it seems we had started on the wrong track. Me accusing you of… you know what. By talking with multiple people known by you, it seems all of them do not see something worrisome about your change of personality. After contemplating it and with the help of different opinions and thinking the sinful actions I have done during my research, I summarize you're not Ludwig, you're the youngest member of the Belial Clan!"

"…" Danhauser's mouth was almost too dried to speak. He nodded like an idiot.

"You don't know how much it overjoys me to find you fooling death itself. Seeing the House of Belial once again in a bright mood is refreshing!" He laughed and stood up, moving in front of his desk. "Months have passed since that day, correct? Hopefully, they've made a celebration for your return!"

"… Not really."

"Oh, that's a shame." He smiled sadly. "I would, but, I have to start from zero you see." He gestured at the door behind Danhauser. "My son, Ludwig, is somewhere hidden in this world. I cannot rest while the most important thing in my life is waiting for me."

It took Belial a while to properly understand Rudiger's words, but after echoing the same sentence over and over again, he connected the dots. "What?" Was all he could say.

The Rosicrucian flashed him a grin. "Shocking, I know." He snapped his fingers, a magic circle shaping under his palm. "But, all I speak is only the truth, Prince Danhauser. Ludwig is trapped in the body of someone else, which one? I don't know, but I won't give up! When Ludwig lays his eyes on me, he'll remember me, that's how Reincarnation works, your body changes, but your soul doesn't, thus your memories remain intact." A book finally landed on his hand. "If you wish, you could read it. Page one hundred twenty-four."

Danhauser traveled a hand through his swept-back hair three times in rapid succession and fixed the German a gentle stare. "Pater R.R.C., I'm sorry for what I'm going to say, but, you need to stop this. As much as it pains me to say, Ludwig is in a better place now. It's over."

As expected, Rudiger's greeting smile was altered by an uncharacteristic grim line, the encyclopedia magically gone. He gave the Devil the cold shoulder—Danhauser saw an eye-roll during the middle of the twirl. He conveniently began patting his wooden desk. "It's late—shouldn't you be sleeping right now? Tomorrow you have school, and a good night sleep is vital for scoring high grades."

"Don't change the subject," Danhauser snapped, reaching for the zipper of his jacket, pulling it out. "What's your plan? Kidnap the children from someone's family just because he showed signs identical to your son?! Wake up already!" He balled the jacket up in his hands, poured some demonic energy on it, and pelt it at the back of Rudiger's head.

The German scoffed loudly after sensing the approaching object, he worthlessly faced the gray-haired youth once more and slapped the projectile boringly to the sidelines. "This is not affecting you in the slightest now, you're out of the map." He sharply gestured behind the devil. "The exit is right behind you. You know what to do."

"You're right. It's no longer affecting me," Danhauser agreed. "But you'll affect someone from my family, my brother." He saw his green eyes widening. "No, he doesn't know, yet. But sooner or later, he'll find out and when he does, he'll be standing here and face you." He paused. "Unfortunately, seeing how you're acting stubbornly, I'm a hundred percent sure that it's not going to end well between you two."

"…"

"Diehauser only has two close friends as far as I know." The gray-haired boy glared up. "You're one of them."

"… You don't seem to understand, no one does." Rudiger murmured. "Unfortunately, Diehauser won't, either."

"Why? What's the matter?" asked Danhauser.

"Your mother nearly walked through the same road as me, but thankfully, you came back and brought her hope once more." Rudiger ignored him. "I spent _so much_ time here, in the world, always thinking about the previous years, my old life. The weird thing is now—I'm where most Magicians wanted to be. I am the founder of my own Academy—Rosenkreutzer, but that matters less and less to me. I've always dreamed of having a child. You're the proof that my son is still alive, but in another body, begging to be once again in the arms of his father. I can't give up, not when I'm _so_ close obtaining it."

Danhauser gritted his teeth, "Rudiger, look—!"

"Why you were brought back to life, I wonder?" He suddenly asked. "Don't get me wrong, it's a relief you're breathing once more, but… why didn't this Lazarus Syndrome strike Ludwig, too? Are you the chosen one of a prophecy that no one has ever heard about?"

Danhauser's mouth stayed slightly open, why has he reincarnated? "I-I don't—"

He laughed quietly and smiled knowingly. "Or is it because you're Danhauser Belial, heir of the Belial Clan while Ludwig was the son of a Reincarnated Devil and nothing more?"

"…"

"… Look, Prince Danhauser. I just haven't quite been myself lately. I haven't been myself at all, isn't it? Ha-ha. You're a great boy, you know? Always wipe that nose clean, and nothing will ever stop you." He dropped to one knee. "So, do me a favor, at this _precise_ moment, what I need is for you to get out of my _ass_. Can you do that? Can you listen to this old man's wish? Would you _kindly_ , _just once_ , stop wasting my time and let me try to feel alive once more? I'd appreciate it. I _really_ would."

Danhauser blinked in surprise, his eyes refocusing on the man walking once more to the desk. His words felt like a sharp slap to his cheek, how is he still standing straight is beyond him. "I have heard people with a streak of bad luck, but yours is something else." No effect came from the man. "Long ago, your ex-wife demanded divorce the moment when Ludwig was born."

Rudiger froze. "Who told you this?"

"You two separated. You were only with Ludwig and years later the bane of his life awakened: a Sacred Gear."

He shot Danhauser a stare that could have frozen the Pacific. He snarled more than spoke. "Who told you this?"

Danhauser dropped his gaze to his shirt and hooked his thumbs into his pants. "It amazes me. When you knew about it, you tried to find a cure to rescue your son, unfortunately, you failed, but…" He bit his trembling lip. "Since the beginning, you had the antidote to save him, y-you only needed the courage to do so."

He felt his chest tightened into a knot like a cramp and a quiet rage built inside. His palm cackled with sparks. "W-What are you trying to say…?"

Danhauser gulped and invoked demonic energy on one of his hands, stealing constant glances where his jacket was slapped away.

The Alchemist took a step toward his visitor, a vein almost popping in his temple and his fist clenched with lightning. "Look at me!"

The grey youth stayed right where he was—finally he met Rudiger's green eyes. "You should have killed him."

That was the last straw. Rudiger held his hand out and took aim. However, before anything could happen, a wet grip yanked his leg out, tripping him over.

Rudiger groaned, grabbing the side of his head, making him wince, once his blurred eyesight disappeared, he looked over his leg, spotting a black tendril of who-knows-what.

 _"Resin?!"_ He held back a gasp. He also inherited the Malebranche's Trait?! "But how…?" Finally, his eyes locked on the jacket, now it made sense. _"There was a magic circle in there… I... I've been fooled."_

Once more, the German glared at the roots of his anger, Danhauser's arm was raised, trembling slightly, with a deep breath. Belial grabbed his own wrist and forced his limb down, the Resin crawling back inside the jacket. "You don't seem to understand, Rudiger." He trailed off, breaking eye contact. "Since day one, Ludwig was suffering, too sick for school, to enjoy a meal, to give smiles. All his life he was lying in bed, too tired to get up. You cleaned up after him. He… he was… um… some dead child, artificially alive just, no. That's how you remember him. That's the worst part."

He looked back when someone chuckled bitterly, his near bloodshot eyes and tears were a giveaway. "What's wrong with you?"

Danhauser remained silent.

Rudiger pressed a hand on the desk and pushed himself up. "A _fifteen-years-old_ telling me that I should have _killed_ my _own toddler_ like some stray dog, without fighting to find a solution? Amazing." Dusting himself, he looked down on Danhauser. "I heard more than enough. I want you out of here, starting tomorrow, you are prohibited to stay near Rosenkreutzer, if you disobey, I won't hold back, even if you're Diehauser's brother."

Danhauser just shot him one last glare, and moved to the doors, he burned enough time with him already, and Diehauser may worry because of his lateness, plus he needed to buy Gilles de Rais' materials. He tried to speak some sense to him, for both Diehauser's and Rudiger's sake, but it seems his impossible mission is blinding him from the truth. A pity—he thought, he seemed like a nice guy to drink coffee with.

At least the Upsetting Sorcerer is not going to annoy him anymore. Unfortunately, from here on, their relationship isn't going to be neutral.

* * *

 **Hopefully, the way I brought True Form in my fanfic makes sense. I had been PM'ing with someone about this long ago, grabblers, since he has a top-notch view when it involves powers and so on. It was supposed to be more complex. But I was afraid that it would be confusing, so that's how I brought it.  
**

 **Nothing much to say here, other than a small warning. Next chapter isn't going to be around Danhauser's point of view, it's from someone else's perspective. Cheers.**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: A Feast of Blood and Wine.**


	14. A Feast of Blood and Wine

**Chapter 14: A Feast of Blood and Wine.**

* * *

"Done delivering the brats, now time for some business," Malacoda Malebranche rolled his neck and once again, stood outside his brother-in-law's office. At first, he had thought about letting his instincts handle the job and kick the door like he always does, but after taking note of the cold aura creeping from the corners, he regained his posture slightly.

Evil Tail held his breath and knocked softly.

"It's open, Coda." He immediately stepped inside, sparing a quick glance at the two vampires. Grunting, he moved to the office chair. "Thanks for coming."

"No problem," Malacoda patted him on the back while glaring at them. "Hopefully, you two didn't do jack-shit to my brother over here while I was gone."

"Ah," Came out the small response of the former King of Tepes, it made Matanbuchus' back rigid. His hand slowly drifted across his tunic, pushing a little fluff away. "None of that, Lord Malebranche. In fact, we were waiting for you." The man bowed, followed by his supposed son. "I'm so overjoyed having you here before us, Lord Malebranche."

"…" Evil Tail just glared back at the blood-red eyes, his eyes surrounded by dark circles. He looks like the Fallen Angel who lusts for war, only with light-blond hair and matching beard. "…Sure."

Matanbuchus Belial moved his arms on the table, "Now that everyone's here, let's jump directly to the point. Time is money here on Dis." He gestured at the two chairs. "What's your personal concern here in the Lucifuge District?"

The Nosferatu took a seat, "We'll jump directly to business it seems." His pale fingers intertwined. "Fine by me. I need Dis' greatest men to aid me in my pursuit of capturing Tepes once again."

…

"I'm sorry, what?" Matanbuchus had to slap himself to make sure this wasn't a nightmare. "Are you asking me to lend the _strongest_ soldiers of _Dis_ to help you in starting a _second coup_ in the province of Tepes?"

"That is correct, Mr. Belial."

Malacoda nudged his brother-in-law's shoulder. "Hey, Buchus, I think he's retarded."

If it wasn't for the hand restraining him on the seat, the child would snap like a bull staring red. "I know it sounds imbecilic…"

"It does."

"But," The King continued, "With your people by my side. I could once again demand what belongs to me, and who knows?" He trailed off, studying his nails. "Perhaps if Dis is generous, form an alliance…"

"… It has been months since you've lost your throne, you had the time to make a plan, which you did." Matanbuchus began, "Unfortunately, I can see you have no idea how exactly this city works. Not at all."

The blond man frowned, "Excuse me, what?"

"You're in the Lucifuge District; you're negotiating with Regent-Lord Lucifuge. I am his voice and depending on your offerings, I will shake your hand." He trailed off, massaging his temple. "The House of Lucifuge is, by all means, not allied with the other Housecarls that are neighboring around the citadel, hence the walls separating the districts. The job here is to give Regent-Lord Lucifuge more customers to buy his products and destroy economically the other Clans." He pointed at him. "Right now. You are a customer."

"Are you telling me that I would only receive the aid of the House of Lucifuge?" The doll said in disbelief, chuckling slightly. "Now, now, I think there's a mistake here…"

"I'm afraid there are no mistakes here." Matanbuchus cut him off. "I never said you'll get their help, by the way. Why should Regent-Lord Lucifuge give you a hand? When I can send a call to the Tepes Faction and be done with it?"

"Because they will not." The Vampire spat as he fought the urge to yank his long, silk-light blond hair. "You have to hear me out, please! They will not interact with you by any means!"

"And why not?" Matanbuchus narrowed his eyes. "Is their arrogance impeding me to take a step further?"

"No…" The Vampire King growled, clenching his thigh tightly. "… They already have an ally in the dark." Matanbuchus swore to see a glint shining in those bloody pools. "Conveniently, they're Devils."

…

"Okaaay," Matanbuchus pronounced slowly, "I'll be straight-up with you and tell you a little secret. I'm a man who doesn't beat around the bush." He said, putting himself comfortable for the long talk. "Unfortunately, I think this conversation isn't going to work if we don't start from the beginning and move on by baby steps." He let that sink in. "So, first things first. Why are you here?"

Nosferatu scoffed and brushed off the question with an eye roll. "Isn't that obvious? I'm here to make an arrangement with Dis!" He snapped. "But by unexplainable circumstances, I can only cut a deal with a single Clan!"

"… I think I need to make my question more understandable." Danhauser's father muttered. "What I'm saying here, is why did your people turn on you? Normally, when a whole Empire is trying to start a coup it's because their sovereign political entity wasn't in their favor."

"Or the King was an ass." Malacoda tossed his two cents.

"Father was a good King." The son finally spoke as he shot a cold look at Lord Malebranche. "My brother just persuaded our people to turn against us."

"Your brother is Marius Tepes, correct?" He saw him nod. "You said something about Devils, perhaps any characteristics or if, somehow, you know the Clan they belong to?"

"I'm afraid we don't have an answer for this." The former King of Tepes gritted his teeth. "We just heard Marius speaking in his room with somebody else, my son here says through a hologram of sorts."

"And you let him do this?" Malacoda scoffed. "I mean, didn't you do something to stop him before the shit hit the fan?"

"It was too late. The guards had already turned against me," He replied. "They chased us out and we passed the previous harsh months through hiding." He stood up from his seat. "And finally, I ended up here. With Dis by my side, I can finally reclaim what belongs to me…" His face obscured. "… And punish those bastards who stabbed me in the back."

"So, your son is the Fifth King of Tepes now?" Matanbuchus saw how the two Vampires grimaced at his choice of words. He lifted an eyebrow. "…Or not?"

"… No, he's not." The blond man said in a whisper. "If my contact is correct, he's the Mayor."

"Who's the King, then?"

…

…

…

"Look, if I can't get my questions answered then how do you want me to help you two out?" The gray-haired said with a nonchalant shrug. "I won't lose a thing if you don't collaborate."

"W-we have to tell them, father." The young adult said, turning to his father with soft eyes. "You knew this question would come out sooner or later."

"…Yes. Yes, I did." He said with a sigh, once again falling into his seat. "I think we have no options left."

"We're waiting…" Matanbuchus reminded them, somewhat annoyed. "Are you two going to speak or what?"

The father merely massaged his forehead and gestured his son to answer.

Marius' brother obeyed. "… In truth, the one who's sitting on the throne right now is…" He balled his fists. "My youngest half-sister. Valerie Tepes."

…

"Youngest…"

"…Half-sister?" Malacoda finished, followed by a small laugh. "Let me guess, she's the Black Sheep of the Tepes?"

"…"

Evil Tail grinned. "Perfect. I couldn't get a better answer. Thank you."

"Refresh my mind but," Matanbuchus snapped out of his shock. "Isn't the Tepes well-known for their _male-dominated_ hierarchy? Why is a young girl the _Leader_ of the Tepes Faction?"

"…" Once again, the son spared a glance to his father, the latter hiding in shame behind the palm of his hand. He sighed and turned back to the pair of devils. "… Because she has a Sacred Gear."

"A Sacred Gear…" Matanbuchus repeated before—for the first time in thousands of years—his eyes widened. "Is she a—?!"

"Dhampir, yes."

"Well, fuck me under a shade's tree." Malacoda felt his jaw smashing to the ground. He ignored the looks of disgust sent to him. "But what if she has a Sacred Gear? I mean, sure, they're cool and all but that should not be the reason to choose a new King."

"It's not just a mere Sacred Gear like the _Twice Critical_." He said. "It's one of the thirteen Longinus, Sephiroth Graal."

"What the fuck," Matanbuchus voiced out the emotions dwelling inside of him. He doesn't know when, but he was standing right now. "You're fucking with us, aren't you? There's no fucking way that—!"

"I cross my heart and hope to die." The Vampire King made an 'X' over his chest. "We speak only the horrible truth, Marius has been experimenting with her too, with the cooperation of other Vampires and—"

"Out." Matanbuchus finally said.

The Vampire missed out a heart's beat. "W-What?!"

"I want you two out of the room, now!" Matanbuchus snapped, pointing at the exit. "I've heard enough. I'll make a decision, wait outside."

He felt a wave of relief wrap around him, like a warm blanket, but still, the Vampire could feel how sweaty his fingers were. He stood up and nodded. "I understand, hopefully, you'll make the right choice." He bowed in respect. "With your permission…"

Matanbuchus just nodded at them and listened to the door close. He conjured a magic, soundproofing the whole habitation. "I _desperately_ need a smoke."

"…" Malacoda kept his eyes over his brother-in-law as the man as he kept roaming around the room, his hands sometimes passing through his gray hair. "So? What's your answer?"

Matanbuchus stopped and stared. "I think it's obvious. I'll accept and take the girl out of their grasp! A Sacred Gear like that one shouldn't be left in the hands of these people!"

"Whoa there. I get you have a soft spot for brats and the girl surely has been through some deep shit but keep in mind that you are negotiating with these assholes for the sake of the Lucifuge District." He paused to take a deep breath. "When they find out she has a Longinus you know they will use her, too, mostly when it involves the Holy Grail of the Last Supper."

"Damn… she can't stay in Dis either," Matanbuchus said, beckoning to the window. "Tell me, what do you see."

Evil Tail moved closer, eyes squinted. "…uh, smoke?"

"Exactly. Smoke." He said while adjusting his tie. "This place is uninhabitable for children now. Back in my day, you could hear the innocent giggles and the birds chirping outside. This place's fucked now." He slumped into his seat like a bag of fresh meat. "Even if I somehow found a way to convince Regent-Lord Lucifuge I wouldn't find a place for her to live…" He trailed off, frowning. "Unless…"

"Belial Territory," Malacoda deadpanned. "That would be the best spot for her to stay, just talk with Hauser and sis and you're good to go."

"Good idea," His brother-in-law nodded at his direction, "I think I know what to do. I won't tell Regent-Lord Lucifuge about the girl's existence."

"…You're playing with fire here." He grinned. "I like it. Now, where are you going to get your _mighty_ warriors to join against the Tepes, huh?"

Matanbuchus' smirk fell off. "Fuck. I've forgotten about that." He brought a pencil to his mouth. "This is worrisome. If I accept, maybe we'll be making enemies with the Carmilla Faction and the Devils who are working with Marius Tepes…"

"Think it's the Old Satan Faction?" Evil Tail suddenly suggested. "I mean, that's the only group of Devils that comes up to my mind…"

He kept chewing on the pencil. "They could be," Diehauser's father agreed. "Which would just add another problem to our list. The last thing I want is a group of fanatics bombarding the citadel. Damn…" His gray orbs hesitatingly darted to the black-haired Devil. "How much would it be for you to fly to Romania, retrieve the girl and silently deliver her to Diehauser?"

"Hmm," Evil Tail tapped his chin and looked up at the ceiling. "You _really_ are determined on getting the hybrid, even after knowing that you could invoke the wrath of Queen Carmilla and maybe the Old Satans…"

"She has a Longinus, Coda. I can't just ignore that artifact," Matanbuchus defended himself, tossing the pencil away. "If the Devils persuaded the Vampires on leading that coup d'etat just to have the Dhampir's Holy Grail, then they're planning something _big_ that could not only affect the _Ars Goetia_ and _Dis_ but the whole _Underworld_ as well."

"Shit. If you put it in that way…" Malacoda clicked his tongue. "What if they terrorize the Belial Territory to retrieve Sephiroth Graal again? Even if Diehauser is there, I doubt they'll just back away."

"They won't know, once you've finished attacking the Tepes territory, you will send her to Diehauser, _stealthily_." He countered. "They'll think she's in Dis. They _won't_ attack Dis, trust me on this one."

Finally, Evil Tail shrugged. "Fine, sign me up. I dunno what to ask in return, though." The grin once again bloomed. "But I can't just ignore some vampire hunting!"

Malacoda had so many doubts about this. He was debating if the transaction was going to work, at all. After all, taking the Dhampir on their side was mostly for Matanbuchus' benefit rather than the District of Lucifuge. Of course, he doesn't judge his brother-in-law's risky choices, perhaps during their chit-chat he already had a few ideas in his head, blowing up like a candle.

Evil Tail was here only for one reason, step in the middle if the Vampire decides to bare his fangs at his sister's other half. Matanbuchus knows way more about negotiating than anyone else, why else would Malacoda suggest him to Regent-Lord Lucifuge to be Euclid's replacement?

"Nice to know you're enthusiastic about this," He harrumphed and turned to the doors, hand raised. "Now, if there's nothing else to add, let's finish this."

He discharged the spell by a flick of his fingers, once again letting sound pass behind the doors. "Come in." He said loud enough for the doll-like creatures to hear him, "I have finally made a decision."

As if he just uttered a secret mechanism, the eldest of the two vampires flew inside, desperate evident in those red orbs. "Fantastic! I'm pretty sure you were thinking profoundly about the advantages of—!"

"Listen, if you want the help of Regent-Lord Lucifuge, you'll accept the next part of the deal." He saw him nod, almost eagerly. "Once the confusion is done. The Tepes Faction will become a trustworthy customer for the District of Lucifuge, they'll buy their products and stay away from the other Clan's merchandise. If we are somehow getting attacked, I expect your race to come to the Underworld and aid us immediately."

"Of course! Of course, it shall be done!" The vampire said with a huge smile. "Now, if there's nothing else to—!"

"I'm afraid I'm not done," Matanbuchus interrupted him. "The Dhampir, Valerie Tepes, is staying with me, including the Sephiroth Graal."

He saw a twitch spread across the vampire's features. "All I hear are words in favor of Lucifuge's side."

"You'll be crowned as King once again," Matanbuchus countered. "The way the Tepes Faction functions lays in your hands, Regent-Lord Lucifuge or any devil with higher status has no qualms to tell you how to control your grounds. We will also send slaves to repair any collateral damage left during the turmoil for free. We will assist you if the Carmilla Faction or any race plans to start an invasion." He lifted his hand, prepared for a handshake. "As the voice of the whole Lucifuge District, those are the offers for you and your—hopefully—future people. Do we have a deal?"

"…" If he had recapitulated this conversation away back, he'd recapitulated it a thousand times; it had to end here and now. Now that he's got to his door, his mouth had gone dry and his heart was beating more forcefully than it usually did, he'd sworn his son muttered something, but the words failed on reaching his pointy ears.

He raised his fingers and moved his hand closer, then lowered it to his side. He knows gripping the Devil's hand would seal the contract and be done with it. The world's going to change critically just by a mere gesture. Could he do it? They're also taking his youngest spawn, Valerie, the one that was supposed to be known as the Bastard of Tepes. Getting rid of her would be wise—he thought. After all, thanks to her, he's in this nest full of snakes.

Because of his greed by abusing the Sacred Gear to grasp victory in the civil war against the Carmilla Faction, his people started getting jealous of their own King for favoring such an artifact and not using it for his city, but his own merit. Marius, however, just to have closer usage on the Longinus, vowed to them wonders beyond imagination, one of them is making them immune to sunlight, easily winning their hearts.

Even then, he did not like the physiology distributed on Dis. A single Clan is only going to hear his words of a greater future for both Dis and Tepes Faction? He had already made a fool of himself by stepping on their world, but after discovering how this citadel works and how his plans burned so easily, that was the last nail in the coffin. He was starting to see this visit as a huge waste of time, but even then, wouldn't it be worth a shot? If he had snapped right here and twirled around while cursing the Devilkin and the whole Underworld afterward, he would move once again back to the shadows with his eldest son.

But the illusion of living in the sewers and drinking blood coming from the veins of rodents that swim through the contaminated waters forced him to swallow a lump.

He glanced down at his clenched fist, it began to tremble vigorously. "…The vampires will endure any hardship, overcome any obstacle, and emerge stronger than before." He muttered. "Like our people, the world is always in motion, in constant change. But make no misunderstanding. We will endure." Then quickly he raised his hand and pressed it before his second thoughts got the better of him again. "Blood for Tepes."

Matanbuchus kept his stoicism in check, a shared trait among the House of Belial. "A pleasure dealing with you." He retracted his hand, fighting the urge to groan in pain and massage his squished fingers. He whistled at Lord Malebranche. "He'll be the one attacking."

"Excellent," The soon-to-be king said, nodding at Malacoda. "So, you'll be the one leading the army against the miserable traitors, correct?"

Evil Tail winked, chest puffed. " _Wrong_. I am the army, buddy!"

His mind was sent reeling, unable to comprehend or process the goating that was being sent before his ears. He strongly shook his head. "What?!" He nearly screamed and stomped the floor. "Are you out of your mind?! You think you can _challenge_ the _frightening_ army of Tepes and just walk away?!"

"Yeah," He turned to his brother-in-law. "Before I go, I'll need some ash wood, enough to make at least three spears." He stared at the floor, snapping his fingers constantly. "Aaaaaand a lot of garlic."

"I'll see if Regent-Lord Lucifuge can obtain those materials." Matanbuchus patted his shoulder, glaring. "Don't do anything stupid, Coda."

Malacoda laughed and waved off his concerns. "Don't worry, I'll end this ASAP!" He spun around and addressed the astounded vampires. "I'll need a map of the Castle of Tepes, by the way."

"I-I have one!" The son lent him the drawing. "It's one of the few things I could steal before getting kicked away. If it's not much to ask, there's a dungeon where those who still respected father are currently jailed in. If you could free them, they would be an excellent addition to you."

"…" Malacoda moved closer and yanked it from his grasp, humming as he studied the picture. He pocketed it. "Well, the job's done here."

"But, you didn't do anything." The blond vampire stated.

The Devil chuckled, "Didn't I, Vampire boy? Didn't I?"

"My name is Marcus." He deadpanned.

"Heh, I don't care." Malacoda ruffled Marcus' hair and walked away. He gave one last salute after opening the doors. "I'll be going then! Hopefully, Luci can get me the wood!" He flashed them a wink. "Who knows, maybe I'll finish quicker than I thought!"

"I'll join in the middle of the siege," commented the vampire. "I have some errands to attend first here on Dis."

He was curious as to how Malacoda would respond to the neutral partnership. He did not seem to hear him, instead shutting the door and fleeing out from Dis as soon as possible.

* * *

The laughter did not build softly in the Masquerade Ball, but exploded as good as TNT, filling the dusty air and spilling out into the late luminous night. The music was so loud that her pale skin tingled and her lungs felt like mashed potatoes, mostly the pipe organ on the background, was as lusty as a volcano—it made the cutlery on the tabletops rattle slightly.

She sat silently on her throne, she could hear them shrieking in joy and could feel their feet disturbing the ground below her, some of them dancing, others chatting in the distance, others sitting around the monstrous marble table. Without looking, their disturbing smiles extended towards her, attempting to turn her face from what, from whom, she was focused on.

The blonde girl glared at the crystal clear roof, the moon returning the gesture. She knew better. No one did care about her, after all, she's a hybrid. A tool to obtain their selfish goals, all thanks to this damned grail! They just wanted to show off just how rich, elite, and _extravagant_ their grand costumes are! The bizarre masks just made it worse!

Her red eyes once again rambled over the table, immediately looking away after witnessing the vampire lunging at the lifeless body on top of his supposed 'plate,' sucking the blood out of their wrist.

"Delicious!" He said with glee after pulling his fangs out of the corpse, cleaning his lips with his tongue and resumed, drinking gallons of blood, moaning slightly at the pure taste.

Her nose caught the aroma of _sickly sweetness_. She pulled out a napkin from the table and brought it close to her nose in futile attempts to keep the smell away. She gulped. The previous scarlet blood that had oozed down the guest's mouth in thick droplets now spattered on the furniture's cloth and had now hurriedly darkened in the floor.

It appeared in every corner of the room and made the once gorgeous manor look ruined by the gore of the crimson, flowing blood.

The worst part is that she wasn't afraid of the red substance, on the contrary, she was _attracted_ to it.

She licked her lips, trying to wet her mouth, but the burning sensation in her throat grew when she massaged her vocal chords. She cursed under her breath and pocketed the napkin once again and pressed the strong glass rim against her dehydrated, cracked lips. A single drop of fermented grapes made its way into her mouth, she savored it.

In the last second, she jumped. A hand slapped her back and she coughed. Defiantly, a barking cough possessed her for sure. She was hacking furiously for a while then taking in a sharp gasp of breath, drops of wine staining slightly her dress.

"You smell like cheap wine," The familiar voice said in a teasing tone, she ignored him. "What's with the face, _sister?_ You should be celebrating with us! After all, because of you, we are finally freed from our father's rule, or not, Valerie?"

"…" She closed her eyes and yet again curled her lips around the rim of the glass, leaving a painted streak behind.

The vampire's smirk disappeared. "Fine then, do as you wish." He sat with elegance on the throne's arm, invading her personal space. "I'll let you know that giving me the cold shoulder isn't going to work."

"…"

"…. The Devil contacted me," The blond doll said, smiling at the sight of vampires feasting. "He's demanding an update in our progress with Sephiroth Graal."

"…" Valerie scowled and swiped her tongue across her lips again. Her mouth was dry, and she slightly panted from the view, which wasn't helping at all. She brought her napkin to her temple, cleaning it from the accumulating sweat.

She listened how his half-brother, Marius, blew air from his nose. "I had tried to find out what his motives are, but it's out of my reach." He played with his hair, frowning. "… It matters little—he swore to bring our people greatness, something that our miserable father did not." A short laugh bounced down his cheeks. "Ha! Bastard for keeping the Holy Grail all for himself!"

"… Are you sure about that?"

"Hm?" Marius smiled slightly. "So, you speak, huh? I knew you had been living your whole life in a dungeon thus lacking an exquisite vocabulary." He chuckled. "But you're a Tepes and the Fifth King nonetheless! You should act as our leader, talk more! Even if your grammar and accent are terrible."

Her grasp tightened around the wine. "Answer me, brother."

He rolled his eyes. "None of your business, Valerie." He waved off her question with a cold glare. "I hope the glass you're drinking from is full of blood." Her heart missed a beat. "You do understand what happens when a pure vampire doesn't drink blood, correct? Just because your blood is weak and mixed with that of a lowly human doesn't mean you're immune to some of our weaknesses."

The blonde suddenly found the wall interesting and twirled her glass, feeling small under the hard look of her half-brother. "Of course."

Before she could take another sip, her brother yanked the alcoholic beverage easily from her fingers, startling her. Her hands tried to retrieve back the glass, but they merely ended up over her creamy thighs.

"… This is red wine." He growled after swallowing the strong beverage. She just hung her head. "Are you asking for a death wish?" He slammed the drink on the table and took a hold of her chin, studying her face. "…You have bags under your eyes and you look like a ghost! For how long have you been starving for blood?"

"…"

He broke his grasp. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but because of your idiotic actions, you won't last long enough contacting the principle of life." He stopped a servant passing with a snap of his fingers. "You there! Bring me the freshest human available!"

"No!" The Fifth King stood up and pleaded, surprising her brother. "I-I don't want…"

"…" Marius stared at what it felt for an eternity to her. "You… Are you doing this on purpose?" He watched her playing with the corner of her dress. "… You're a _complete_ moron, Valerie. If you think you can avoid the experiments with the Holy Grail then forget it, keep acting like that, you're just slowing us down."

She clasped both hands and shook her head. "I-I can't, brother… I-I'm scared." Her voice croaked. "… E-Every time we leave that horrible world, the voices… they keep talking to me. They won't _just stop_ …! Please… not today."

He saw her red eyes drip with tears. The walls that hold her up, make her strong just... collapsed. For each second, they'll crack and fall. Valerie looked as if she was about to lunge at him with a hug and let her brother rub her back, but she knew that would not happen.

The Mayor moved closer, pushing delicately a few strands of light blonde hair away from her ear, whispering. "I. Don't. Care." He tangled his hand in her hair and yanked her closer, now almost nose to nose. "You have no rights to tell me what to do, Valerie." His grip tightened. "Or should I remind you how many times you _fucked us up?_ The other Dhampir, Gasper, was it? That low blood could have been a perfect piece to use against the Carmilla, but guess who decided to play as the hero, huh?"

"…"

"That day you were about to be executed," Marius continued. "But guess what'd saved you? That's right, your Sacred Gear. If it wasn't for the Sephiroth Graal, you would be swimming with the fishes right now. Without it, you're less than dust, fit only to be brushed from my back!"

She never knew when and how, but her palm connected with his cheek, snapping it back with the fury of her impact and provoking him to stagger backward and slam into a servant passing by, the worker accidentally dropping the tray filled with drinks.

…

A few minutes passed by and everyone just froze there speechless, looking at Valerie as if she had committed something sinful. They started to whisper to each other's ears, the musicians even layoff their fingers over the instruments. She turned into the center of attention. Valerie looked back at Marius who had a red welt under his eye, occupied on regaining his posture back.

She took a deep breath and cleaned her wet eyes. "Fuck you, Marius."

When black dots quit blinding his vision, he passed his thumb over the wound, hissing. He gestured at his half-sister. "Grab her."

Her mind snapped open, she tried to move, but an amount of pressure stopped her. "Don't move, hybrid!" The guard's damp voice shuddering her ear. Valerie struggled against him, blasting her right leg out but her movements were far too obvious. Fingers moving to her waist, her ghostly arms snared to the sides.

"I see you had earned father's sharp tongue." Marius stood in front of her. "…After making this ceremony for _you_ , after trying to amend things with _you_ , after freeing you from that _shit-hole_ , is this how you thank me?" He shook his head with a humorless chuckle. "You _ungrateful_ slut. You keep murmuring yourself why mixed breed are antagonized by society, now you know why." He rolled his sleeves up. "The only way to keep your kind behaved is with a belt, like a filthy dog!"

Valerie drew breath sharply and closed her eyes, readying herself for the incoming slap, but after a few minutes of silence, she dubiously opened them, Marius' hand still in the air and aimed at her tempting cheek. "… I should punish you in front our guests." He signaled to the nosy crowd. " _Humiliate_ you. But I will not for multiple reasons. One of them is that I need you in a perfect state when we trespass in the Secluded World." He lowered his hand, much to Valerie's relief. Marius turned to the guard. "Take her to the cellar and make sure she drank some blood beforehand. If she refuses, force her."

The guard pushed her roughly into the doors, the agile motion causing Valerie to fall down over the corridor, almost falling flat on her face, the guard clutched her arms, snaring them to her side, the pain of his hold causing her to let out a startled little gasp of pain.

Like a sniper in the prone position ready to fire, he waited for the Dhampir to leave the room, when the guard had closed the twin doors, Marius forced a grin and addressed the quiet assembly with arms wide open. "Everyone, please ignore the hybrid, you know how these creatures tend to act, like animals!" He saw a few nods here and there, well enough—he thought. "Are we going to let that _thing_ ruin our night?! Servants! Bring more humans to the feast!"

Everyone cheered after that.

* * *

"Damn, that was spicy," Malacoda commented after taking a bite out of his chocolate bar, his eyes roaming around the party. "I guess that gal's the Fifth King, yeah?" He asked no one in particular, watching where Valerie had left. "I won't lie. She's a cutie, perhaps one or two years older than the kid."

It had taken him about a week to reach Romania and it wasn't a great adventure per say. He could have ended sooner, but mother nature had settled to make things more challenging for him. The rain was a pain in the ass, to the point that he urgently needed to find shelter somewhere else.

Luckily, he had found a decent-looking tavern far away from Tepes' province. He was supposed to arrange this mission in the morning when the vampires are assured to have more struggles on jumping into action, thanks to the hugest star: the sun. However, he tossed that idea into the trash can, remembering that the bloodsuckers are modified by the Holy Grail. All in all, they're immune to the rays of the sun.

"So, what happens when sunlight hits them?" Malacoda wondered with a scowl. "Do they sparkle now? That would be fabulous." He shrugged. "The many wonders of a Longinus."

So, he had decided to kickoff around nighttime, where their mastery over shadows are enhanced and are more active than usual, plus the mists that usually the High-Class vampire summon to hide their territory made it more troublesome. The whole world would question his sanity and along the way, his intelligence, but hey, who knows, maybe when the moon is out, these bastards are going to show some decency in a brawl and Malacoda is thirsty for a flawless victory after losing by the hands of The Emperor.

"Time to work," Malacoda sighed and threw the envelope away, cleaning his fingers with a quick lick. He finally stood up, stretching his loose limbs and glared downwards. "Can't believe these jackasses aren't seeing me standing on their roof made of _pure_ glass." He scoffed, hands over his waist. "What a _shitty_ defense system!"

Why they have a roof made of glass anyway? Back then weren't they suppose to burn at any sorts of light?

He bent his legs and invoked his wings, flapping them, he took a decent distance between the transparent roof and himself.

And as if he was wearing a pair of cement boots, he fell. Fast.

* * *

The air is suddenly rent by the sound of shattering glass. Everyone had shared the same thought of some gunfight occurring outside, but after perceiving small shards falling on their heads, their eyes lingered upstairs, noticing the figure with wide bat-like wings landing on the main table, breaking it in half, they instantly retreating from the furniture.

"What the hell?!" Marius broke from his state of shock, a pair of guards immediately standing by his sides. He ignored the gasps and screams from the guests. "Guards! Activate the alarm!"

Before anyone could blink, two of them were instantly pinned down to the floor with a cry of pain, each fresh corpse stabbed by a spear made out of wood.

Everyone gasped.

"That's some shitty armor," pointed out Malacoda as he kicked lightly a lifeless soldier. "I mean, those spears are made out of wood, y'know? Shoulda hire a better smith."

Uproar.

"What's the meaning of this?!"

"Are we getting attacked?!"

"I-Impossible! After the coup against Tepes, we are not prepared for more bloodshed!"

"This odor…! Is he using garlic?!"

Marius, for an unexplained reason, heard the mocking laugh of Malebranche perfectly behind all the shouting. He moved backward in horror, not wishing to stain his shoes with the pool of blood. He glared at the Devil standing in the middle of the room. "What's the meaning of this?! W-Who are you?!"

The Devil grinned. "Now, now. I can't say a single word, yeah? It's my naughty secret." He took his last spear out, the invited taking a step back, the guards taking a step forward. "All you need to know is that you fuckers aren't getting out of here. _Capisci?_ "

The Mayor of Tepes glared daggers. "Well, what are you waiting for?!" He snapped at the soldiers. "Slay him!"

At first, they were uncertain but soon after the screams broke out. The men rushed forward, others staying behind to shoot shadows at the intruder from a safe distance while defending the trembling visitors.

More shouting. More screaming. More running. Malacoda rolled his eyes and _wrapped_ his spear around his _barbed tail_ , pulling out the ones impaled over the corpses with each hand with ease, he twirled and focused on the charging soldiers. He resembled a scorpion. "I'll take care of you later."

Marius knew that message was delivered to him—he was not looking forward to how the devil would handle him! Taking advantage of the situation at hand, he turned around and ran to the doors, or commonly known, the only entrance and exit from the room.

The slam of the door was the hurricane inside Marius made audible. It was how he wrote his fear into the air. After ending up in the corridors, Marius brought any furniture on his reach and yanked it in front of the door until he formed a poor barricade.

Marius gasped when the door shook and cracked slightly. When the doors started to slam strongly, Marius knew the shouting match was just getting started. They pounded on the door and demanded to be let out, but he wouldn't let that happen.

He just transformed into a flock of bats and took off, trying to find as many guards as possible.

* * *

Malacoda yawned from his seat over the broken table, his eyes moving aimlessly across the room, conveniently turning deaf from the yells of pleas. He spared a glance to the floor, smiling with satisfaction after witnessing the floor becoming a lake of pure Resin, his smile turned into a full-blown grin when his eyes locked onto a victim, slowly getting swallowed by the pitch-black substance as if the vampire was standing on quicksand.

Every time they stretched their arms out to reach for something, a tendril of Resin would appear out from the lake and bind itself to their necks, pulling them deeper, filling their throats with the black substance.

"That was fast," Once again, Evil Tail yawned and ignored the muffled, supposed high-pitched shouts. "Man, never lucky. I was expecting a decent fight."

He shrugged. "Oh well, shouldn't have expected something thrilling anyways." His hands maneuvered toward his pocket, pulling out the map. "Hm. If the map is correct. The dungeon's on the first floor of the castle and to the left. I did promise the brat I'll take out the prisoners. Let 'em have their vendetta, I guess."

"Dunno why they'd block the doors when there's a bigger hole than Tepes' defense plans," His wings appeared in response. Once again, he flew into the opening he made a few minutes ago.

* * *

The cold damp air shrouded around him like a heavy coat of chain mail as he descended the tight spiral staircase to the dungeons. He had to execute the baffled guards before adventuring to the depths. In the absence of flaming torches, the dimness gave the impression of twilight despite the night vision that came off from his red eyes.

He had always been thankful for the night vision.

"Hola?" Malacoda called out after stepping out from the last stair, the only answer was a drip drop echoing somewhere else.

Through the darkness came the glow of thousands of red eyes chased by murmurs. A pair of red eyes moved with a slight sway as if the unseen body prowled like a lion. Malacoda stopped and let his night vision do its part of the job, he spoke. "Hey there, handsome."

"Who are you?" Was the vampire's venomous words, his hand over his nose.

"You first," Malacoda spat back, holding back the grin, it seems that the garlic was handling its job.

"…" The vampire stared back, his platinum hair distracting Malacoda slightly. "... I'm the Lord of the House of Vladi." He said, his tone low and with reluctance, like a warning. "I'll ask once again, who are you?"

"None of your business," Evil Tail winked off the glare. "All you need to know is that I'll take your ass out of prison!"

Lord Vladi wasn't amused. "What happened to the guards?" He demanded. "Weren't they supposed to watch the entrance of this damned place?"

Malacoda's tail wiggled slowly. "Yeah, they were supposed to." He admitted. "But damn, they suck at their job—it was easy to kill them. Even you guys could have taken care of them."

"The traitor has a Longinus under his sleeve." Lord Vladi countered. "We would've been defeated because of exhaustion."

"Yeah whatever," Malacoda moved closer, circling his fingers around the iron bars. "To keep it brief, your former King has sent me to 'reclaim his throne', he'll pay a visit soon, I guess." He nodded at him. "Get out of the way."

The vampire obeyed and watched the devil yanking the jail cell's door with ease as if he was breaking a cookie in half. "Out."

Malacoda dropped the cheap chink of iron and watched a few vampires following Lord Vladi's steps, some of them glared at him, he made sure to blow them a kiss to show them his fond love toward their race. Malacoda also noted most of them have bulky muscles, either they hit the gym or were the loyal guards that stood by the King's side during the siege.

What made this more humorous for him, is how some of them squeezed their nose from Malacoda's smell, others tried to look strong by shrugging it off, but their watery eyes said otherwise.

Evil Tail suddenly looked up to the moist roof, the sound of muffled bells rang in his ears. From the times he was in the human world, this would represent a wedding or Sunday service. But it was midnight and the animalistic roars that echoed atop them were chaotic rather than melodic. It was a warning.

"Reinforcements," Lord Vladi seemed to catch on. "And they're using the werewolves, too." He shifted closer to Malacoda's face, glaring. "I don't like you nor I trust you."

"I love you too."

"But right now, you're the strongest creature divagating on the grounds of our true king. If he sent you, then your strength is useful to us. There are more dungeons with more vampires—we will handle them. Beware of the werewolves."

Taking a deep breath, he turned to the horde of vampires, all eyes lingering over him. "Everyone! The traitor, Marius Tepes, had his coup! NOW LET'S HAVE OURS! BLOOD FOR THE TRUE KING OF TEPES!"

His shout was accompanied by the vampires hissing loudly. Immediately, they morphed into a legion of bats, chirping as they flew to where Malacoda had made his appearance.

"To the victor go the spoils!" Malacoda boomed and laughed, summoning his wings, flapping them.

* * *

A fierce kick was enough to open the doors, a guard with a long spear made it inside first, his eyes scanning the library, his spear ready to pierce anything that lunges at him with bared fangs or sharp claws. He looked over his shoulder. "The room is clear, Mayor Marius."

Marius moved inside, pushing an empty bag to the guard's chest, almost making him trip over. "You know what to do." He said after picking up a strange looking gem. "I have to speak with someone."

The guard looked up from the sack. "What should I put inside?"

" _Everything_ ," Was his Mayor's response, with a last salute, he began to work, leaving the blond vampire alone.

Marius activated the stone. "Euclid! We're being attacked! A Devil, one with a tail, appeared out of nowhere and murdered my people!" He cursed after not receiving a response. "I have already sent the Sephiroth Graal to a carriage. You know the coordinates. We'll continue our talk there."

He threw the pearl to the nearest wall and held the urge to drop all the books out from their shelves. He lost the Castle of Tepes, that's a given. This Devil attacked at an inopportune time, plus he had heard the war cry coming from the dungeons. The Tepes was not ready for another coup, even if months had passed, their defenses were as weak as a frail branch on the end of a tree. The worst part of all is that all this sudden invasion smells something that his brother, Marcus, and his father would scheme for revenge.

He needed to leave with Valerie, as long as he has the Holy Grail, then losing his home wouldn't wound him in the slightest.

Marius looked up when a sudden temblor came after the howl in the corridors, thankful that the doors were locked when the gigantic beasts passed away from them. He definitely knew what those were, their aroma was more than enough to make him puke.

"Werewolves," Marius whispered with a shaky breath, resuming his work. "Not truly werewolves anymore, but they are aberrations nonetheless. I have seen but one in my childhood near the many infamous laboratories funded by the House of Tepes. It is a memory that I hide even from myself."

Indeed, any vampire, let it be Carmilla or Tepes Faction, would sweat bullets at the acknowledgment of such things. With the exception of Valerie, for an odd reason, she categorizes such creatures as _"cute"_ on her list.

That and boys wearing skirts.

He gritted his teeth and ignored the soldier's odd look. There's no time for fooling around, while he wished to see the Devil _smashed_ , _obliterated_ , nothing left to bury by the Tepes' infamous creation. He knows how important this project he's been working with Euclid is essential for their progress.

* * *

Malacoda Malebranche took a halt, sniffing the air and instantly sheathing his spear to cover his nose, groaning. "Fuckin' hell." His body shivered as he looked across the corridor to spot the unpleasant smell. "Why the sudden stink?"

His question was soon answered by the sudden scream of vampires he'd freed from their prison not so long ago. Malacoda took a stance when he'd heard steps rushing towards him. It was a group of vampires, their expression alike—outright fear.

They ran past the Devil, leaving the latter perplexed. He rapidly shook his head when the floor grumbled slightly, his three spears threateningly pointing at the incoming creature.

"What the fuck…" It was a rare sight when Malacoda's face twisted in shock, he had been in a lot of wars and had seen regretful scenarios that would make a war veteran fidget on the spot, but this is something worth to write in a diary.

A marathon of curses unraveled from his tongue, like yarn unfurling, as the creatures advanced. Taller than two men, perhaps the same height as a double-decker bus, and had enough muscle to fight a whole company of Tepes' unmatchable warriors. Both metal and flesh, fused to their hairless bodies shimmered with hot hunger along with their dark, white vacant eyes. He had also noted their bodies were scarred by stitches and open sores, it was a dead giveaway, the vampires had tried to add _"modifications"_ to their already formidable bulk.

"This is not a fucking werewolf," Malacoda breathed out. Unfortunately, his voice was enough to make their ears twitch. They heard him. "No fucking way…"

The twins roared simultaneously, it could make a lion's mane fall off in blasted terror, and while the monsters are bipedal, they were experts on all fours, they looked like a gorilla on steroids. Should they need to run they just lowered their forepaws to the dirt and sprang away as fast as any wolf in the darkness. This was one of those occasions, accelerating on all fours toward their target with mouths wide open.

Fortunately, because of their great stature and overexaggerated muscles, there was not enough space for two creatures in the hallway, thus slowing their immense speed down, pushing one another to stay in the front and be the first one to tear the Devil apart.

Malacoda would just dodge their stomps, block their punches and even leap away from their bites, sometimes, one of them would jump atop its partner's back in an attempt to reach faster from Malacoda and crush his skull on the floor, but the latter easily avoided it.

He was baffled by their excellent teamwork. Just by looking the loose sews across their heads, he definitely knew they did something to their brains. Perhaps decreasing their I.Q. to make them into rabid beasts devoted singularly to the pursuit of _fighting_ , _tearing_ and simply enacting wanton bloodshed. They no longer have a will.

Malacoda danced like butter, outsmarting the creature without struggling, he shifted closer and spun until his back was close enough to the werewolf, and smashed his elbow on its chest, heeding the sharp gasp and drops of mixed blood and drool staining his clothes.

The beast went flying like a cannonball, its brother, noticing the blur aiming directly at it, jumped over and charged once more.

"I was expecting them to be a lot stronger," Malacoda mused, watching how it finally reached the end of the corridor, crashing into the wall. "Then again, they are not made to fight Ultimate Devils."

He tried to dodge a swing from its massive claws, but it struck his side and he tumbled into another room. He shook his head and glared back at the huge bite had been taken out of the side of the building. His tail tied itself around the waist, nearly dodging the furniture impaled on the floor. He looked up just in time to see the modified werewolf hopping toward him with both fists cocked.

Malacoda rolled just in time, half of the beast's body sinking into the wooden floor as punishment. With a snap of his fingers, tendrils of resin sprouted from the floor and wrapped themselves around the confused herculean figure, like a dog's collar. The black ropes yanked it downward, pinning it down. A surprise feeble sound was produced from its vocal chords.

Malacoda grasped tightly his wooden spear, thrusting to take out an eye, only for the behemoth to cover its face with a hand, the sound of flesh a music to Malacoda's ear, unfortunately, a howl of pain never left its sewed throat, it merely twirled its hand and broke the spear in half with ease.

"Shit," Malcoda stared at his battered weapon. "That's what I get for getting cocky." The Devil jumped backward to evade another fist from it and catching the second swing with ease.

He pulled closer the Goliath. "My turn," He tightened his grip and paid attention at the _crack_ over its hand. He cocked his fist and connected with its jaw, sending it away like a rocket leaving earth.

He smirked, not minding the dust and chunks of the roof falling. Malacoda spotted the second one with the corner of his eye, swinging between the many chandeliers atop the ballroom, just like an enraged monkey ready to avenge its friend. He took aim and shot his demonic powers faster than a minigun.

Astonishingly, the creature showed signs of intelligence, dodging the blasts of condensed energy by jumping from candelabrum to candelabrum, some of the demonic energy struck its scarred chest, but it took it like a tank.

But even then, its roars demonstrated how painful Malacoda's attacks were, it lost the strength to keep itself on the gigantic candleholders, landing on the floor like a meteor.

"Time to end this," Malacoda cracked his neck and raised his hand, demonic energy shaping on his palm—he took aim at the semi-conscious, gargantuan beast, unaware of the incoming attack. The attack was faster than a sniper bullet— it pierced the modified werewolf's skull and instantly dropped a small whimper before finally losing its will to fight.

Malacoda studied the specimen closer, poking one of its white eyeballs, his eyes wandering over the furless body. It doesn't look like a werewolf, with the lack of hair; he resembled more of a _shaved rat_ than anything else. "I think it was better if I ended your suffering." He said after summoning his pair of wings and taking off.

He passed with ease through the hole made by the second werewolf, standing on the roof. His red eyes scanning the zone, it was a beautiful sight to behold, while there was not a dramatic sunset rising between mountains, the horde of stars and the moon glaring down at his presence was enough to transform this place into a paradise.

Unfortunately, Malacoda wasn't here to make a _top ten_ greatest scenarios in the world. He looked down. The screams. Weapons clashing. Buildings burning. Spells fired. Werewolves murdering. The attack was fierce, efficient and deadly, and Malacoda was missing it.

"While I would love to join the action," He trailed off, his eyes roaming the streets. "I promised to retrieve the girl…"

Malacoda bent his legs and bit his thumb, scanning the crowd murdering one another, each fighting for a different purpose—he suddenly realized he could see no sign of her. He started to move amongst the roofs, ending a top of a chimney, his eyes darting more wildly with each passing second, noticing any blonde hair, hoping it was her.

He spat his thumb out, "Don't fucking tell me she escaped…" He muttered through gritted teeth before the corner of his red orbs spotted something that shared the strict characteristics of the target, the place was like a garden, perhaps the backside of the castle? " _Found you_ …" He grinned toothily.

She was far away from him and the warfare in the city. Unlike humans, Devils have an enhanced vision, perhaps surpassing the sharp eye of a predator bird. He studied her movements—she was on her butt, a hand on her altered heart. He'd guessed that she was in a state of shock, especially when that goliath werewolf was in front of her, thankfully the giant was unconscious inside a medium-sized crater.

"Huh," His mind flashed the previous fight against the two abominations. "So that's where the first one had landed. Son of a bitch took you so long." He pulled his second javelin out of his back, spinning it faster than a propeller.

And finally, he took aim. The wooden spear lined up precisely with his free hand and using his thumb as a reference point. He checked the wind speed, the distance and adjusted accordingly. Then a _thud_ as his eyes sharpened and launched the weapon.

* * *

Her brain had shut down. She was clammy and there was the glisten of a cold sweat. Her eyes were as wide as like those of a deer in the path of an oncoming train. She tried to look away from the gargantuan abomination that had fallen from the skies for a strange reason! This was like the saying of _'it's raining cats and dogs outside,'_ but to the next level!

She doesn't even know what's happening.

"Stand up!" The guard snapped, roughly pulling her off the ground. "Mayor Marius has already left! We need to hurry! Now!" He kept his grasp on her wrist, circling the lifeless beast.

She tried to speak. "W-Where—?!"

"Shut up!" He ordered, not sparing her a glance. "We'll only waste our time if we—!" He was silenced when a blurred object hit him over the chest, propelling him backward. He still had his fingers locked on her wrist. The man fell awkwardly to the floor with Valerie to his side, the side of her head smashing against the concrete ground hard.

For a few seconds, he looked up at the moon and tried to reach for it. Then the black waves folded over him.

The adrenaline that once burned like a fire had faded away to an icy numbness. Her eyesight was blurred, but not because the tears were welling up. Everything became fuzzy. The only thing she could hear was her weak heartbeat. Her breath came in ragged, shallow gasps. The only thing that is making her active is the blood oozing from the guard and her forehead, her vampiric side slowly demanding for the last dinner.

"This is it?" She managed to pronounce something. The despair and suffering of what she passed from the beginning to end were finally over. "Is this how I… escape from this world?" Valerie wasn't naïve to the darkness of the real world.

No more sleeping in horrible dungeons.

No more racist comments.

No more experiments made by her brother.

No more dead people talking to her.

And all because she's a Dhampir born with a Longinus.

She would be able to leave all the pain behind. She closed her eyes and waited.

Seconds passed as she lay there, then, she heard someone weakly calling her name out. She doesn't know who it was—the voice was male but still unknown to her. Interesting enough, the voice has a superb Romanian accent, greater than hers. In her defense, she had never touched a book since childhood, only learning a few words when people opened their mouths.

"Hey," Someone flicked her forehead. His voice clearer now. The horrendous smell of garlic invading her nostrils. "You're still alive, yeah?"

The blonde girl struggled to flutter her eyes out. When she did, she came face to face with someone she hadn't seen before. She wanted to run away or at best, scream her lungs out and kick the air in strive to scare the foreigner away, but her prowess had left long ago, all she could do was breath, stare and expect the inevitable.

He grinned down at her. "Glad you're still with the living!" He openly laughed and slapped his knee, ignoring the fact that there's an impaled corpse behind him and another one in a crater.

Valerie felt her red-blood orbs heavier than before. "Tired, huh?" He said with a hum. "It's fine, get some rest, blondie." He continued even after the blackness finally consumed her. Like a blanket, but not a blanket of warmth but a blanket of coldness that made her shiver. "Because tomorrow, you'll live a different life, _Capisci?_ "

With conviction, her body drained away until finally, all was black.

* * *

Malacoda carefully picked her up. "While I have the girl, there's still a war that I need to attend." He swore to see more of those werewolves on the streets causing mayhem, they may have already crushed a few vampires.

"None of that," A familiar voice assured him. "The war is finally over, because of your assistance, Tepes is under my grasp once again."

"So, I missed the show?" Malacoda faced the king. He had frozen for a second after spotting Lord Vladi and the vampire rebels, too. "That would explain why everything's suddenly quiet."

"If it wasn't for you and our king, we may have tasted defeat," Lord Vladi admitted. "And perhaps get executed right away."

"I did it to help Matanbuchus," Malacoda reminded them. "By lending you guys a hand, it'll benefit him greatly." He glared at Valerie's father. "You better fulfill your part of the deal."

"And I will," The blond replied, bowing. "The whole Tepes Faction shall stand beside the House of Lucifuge. This I vow."

Malacoda stared and nodded with effort. "Good." He gestured with his chin at the 'werewolf.' "The hell is that?"

"Hm?" The vampire blinked and followed his gaze, humming. "Ah, that would be a werewolf, yes." A grin split on his face. He proudly dusted his nails over his tunic. "Amazing, isn't it?"

"That's _not_ a werewolf." The devil spat.

The Fourth King rolled his eyes. "It is. They are just… _slightly_ modified to be effective weapons of war." He felt the stare trying to melt him, he added. "The House of Phenex is famous because of those healing tears. The Malebranche? Their slaves merchandise with the City of Dis." He saw the eye twitch coming from Malacoda. He chuckled dryly. "My Clan is the reason why _all_ Romania _trembles_ before the Tepes Faction! The ingenious fabrication of powerful beasts!"

All the vampires cheered afterward, weapons in the air, some of them even jumped and clapped as they kept praising the creativity of the strongest Clan.

Malacoda just blinked slowly, a part of him hoping their cries won't aggravate the maiden in his arms. "What?"

"To keep it brief," Lord Vladi said when everyone quieted down. "The purpose of the Tepes Clan specializes in the mastery of _breeding_ , _converting_ and _surgically_ designing some of the most dreadful and distressing war-beast to have ever existed."

The worst part is when he'd said _beasts_ , not only _werewolves_ were dragged into this. "… Why?"

Lord Tepes scoffed. "Of all people you should fathom this." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Devilkin had gone through a civil war too, just because a Devil has invented special chess pieces. Even after ending this second coup against my bastard of a son, we still have the Carmilla Faction under our nose. The worst part is that our troops have diminished _heavily_." He pointed at the crater. "They are meant to be sent to the front-line to tear and kill anything that the owner has directed their wrath to." He took a step forward. "I'll do _whatever_ it is attainable to _tear down_ the kingdom of Queen Carmilla."

"These wretched creatures are the reason why the House of Tepes is one of the wealthiest and most feared Clans in Romania." Lord Vladi stated. "I even dare to say surpassing the Carmilla Clan."

He doubts that Tepes surpasses the House of Carmilla in terms of wealthiness. He would buy it if they were tied and wrestling in the first place. This is just Lord Vladi riding his king's dick, as Malacoda would say.

Of course, the creatures Tepes fabricates are descended from monsters that have been captured over the years. Apparently, beasts figure prominently in the methods and strategies of the Clan. The abominations of Clan Tepes are their trump cards. The Clan's zoological garden of regretful creations is seemingly endless and exhibits a wide variety of mutated and surgically-altered beasts.

Somewhere, there must be a farm and laboratories hidden that works on the field reproduction and enhancement of these abominations. Maybe its underground to not let such monstrosities dwell amongst the elegant vampires.

They're practically trying to _steal_ the _role_ of _God_ here.

"It is a shame that Sephiroth Graal has to leave," The Nosferatu said longingly, hand over his cheek. "That Sacred Gear has made Tepes' exhausting work effortless." He grinned. "Want to make a deal, Lord Malebranche? A _hundred_ of our very _finest_ Clan Tepes werewolves can be yours in exchange for the girl if you wish, I can add an _extra_ arm to a few of them…"

Malacoda spread his bat wings. "This conversation is over." Tightening his hold on the light-blonde girl, he took off.

"Ah, pitiful," He sighed as the Devil turned into a mere dot in the dark sky. He snapped his fingers. "While our victory is ours we cannot celebrate." He growled. "It seems that Marius has escaped. I want a group of scouts to locate him and bring him back—I'll make sure he regrets his actions."

As his command was uttered, a flock of bats instantaneously spread to the forest, starting their mission.

"Your excellence," Lord Vladi called. "There have been survivors during the conquest of our territory."

"… Are they the traitors?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

Planting a hand over his long tunic to stop it from dancing, he stood at full height and looked Gasper's father dead in the eye. It wasn't a look of sheer joy. It was a look of boiling anger, like a volcano erupting—fury sweeping off him like ferocious waves.

He could literally see the blue veins popping out from his pale forehead.

"Traitors?"

Lord Vladi almost missed the low murmur, it made the hair behind his neck stand straight.

Suddenly, he laughed so hard. He can't stop. He waved his hand frantically in the air, his flag of apology. The king doesn't know why, but the streams of laughter kept coming. He threw his head back and started laughing directly at the stars as if he was openly mocking any primordial god sitting on a cloud.

And he stopped. And the King looked at him with a glare that his heart nearly had an attack.

He shouted. "IMPALE THEM! IMPALE THOSE _LAPDOGS_ ON A STAKE! SHOW THEM! _SHOW THEM_ HOW WE TREAT SHIT STAINS HERE IN TEPES! LET THE WHOLE WORLD KNOW THE _TRUE KING_ OF ROMANIA HAS COME TO RECLAIM HIS THRONE!"

The cheers exploded like an auditory thunderstorm as some of them went back to the ruined city, ready to punish the disloyal, ready to once again bring the name of their Faction back from the ashes.

The Impaler Lord addressed his audience, arms spread open. "Those who do not stand with the Tepes stand against them! And those who stand against the Tepes _shall not_ stand any longer! BLOOD FOR TEPES!"

They roared back.

[BLOOD FOR TEPES!]

* * *

 **In all honesty. I really want to write a fanfic from the vampire's point of view, or Magician, or Youkai's. But I'm afraid I won't. Since it would involve a chunk of Oc's. I know Fanfiction frowns upon those type of stories. Plus you have seen how much it took me to update this fanfic. So nope. For now, I won't even think of that.**

 **Either way, people will dislike what I did with the vampires and werewolves on my fanfic. I won't be surprised, to be honest. But from all previous chapters, this is my favorite so far, I don't even know why.  
**

 **We're going to see more about the vampires, mostly the Tepes Faction. How? With the help of a poor, way _more_ underrated than Sona, the Dhampir. I also want to try with the Carmilla Faction, maybe Valerie can also say a few things here and there about them, after all, she was the Fifth King for a few months, she was supposed to know how her enemy works.**

 **I have nothing else to say, hopefully, the next chapter is going to come out sooner.**

 **Blood for Tepes.  
**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Utsusemi/PROJECT: FOUR FIENDS  
**


	15. Utsusemi PROJECT: FOUR FIENDS

**Chapter 15: Utsusemi/ PROJECT: FOUR FIENDS**

* * *

Danhauser Belial stifled a yawn as his gray eyes wandered randomly across the occupied seats, voices babbling happily like a mountain river. He's once again at the coffee shop that he had enjoyed with Cleria Belial long ago. Just coming here brought a quick chill on his spine, mostly when he had a short conflict with Irina Shidou's father before.

The reason why he would stop around Kuoh Town is to spread flyers with his Peerage, now and then Bova would join, and socialize with his cousin, and perhaps eat something. But other than that, he doesn't see any other reason why stay here.

Sure, in his previous life, Danhauser longed to visit Japan and that wish came true the moment he was brought back to life, but for some odd reason, it doesn't feel great anymore. Learn a new culture, sightseeing different structures, and tasting different dishes is something that he was looking forward to, not only in Japan but many other countries as well. Not anymore.

It can't be because he was sent into a fictional world where Magic and Blue Blood ruled the world with an iron fist. Something is missing, and to make this small dream come true, Danhauser knew that no matter what, he can't find a way to meet her once more.

Pushing those thoughts aside, he had heard whispers coming from the manor's halls, maids and butlers whispering about Bluebeard. It seems that he has been constantly staying inside his room like a caveman. He never lets anyone enter inside anymore. Shockingly, he's still doing his job well enough to not worry both Lord and Lady Belial.

This time, the gray-haired youth yawned shamelessly. He could feel a few disturbed glares aimed at him, he didn't care. He was tired. There are days his tiredness comes in both forms, physical and mental, he was lucky enough to catch both. When he had ended the dispute with Rudiger Rosenkreutz, Danhauser just focused on buying Gilles de Rais' ingredients and left with a confused Diehauser Belial. Once they had returned he gave the overjoyed Frenchman the ingredients and dropped on his bed. Since that night, Danhauser had his eyes as open as a tunnel.

A _boop_ on the nose made Danhauser jerk away to see Cleria's smiling face. For how long was he out? Let's hope not so much. "It's already cold." He blinked, confused until he followed her gaze and spotted a coffee mug, long since devoid of warmth.

"Yeah, sorry," Danhauser cupped the drink with both hands. "Just… thinking about stuff."

"Really?" He merely nodded and took a long sip. "Wanna share it with the audience?"

He looked down. "Not really." He drawled. "I just have a lot of things to think about."

Her smile fell slightly. "That's not good at your age, you know?" She said, sitting closer to her cousin. "You could get a headache, like me!"

Danhauser blinked and faced her. "Does your head hurt?" She nodded. "Since when?"

She groaned and massaged her temple. "You can't even imagine… this started yesterday, it still hurts, but not that bad anymore." Suddenly, she pouted and nudged his ribs. " _Aha!_ I know what you're doing there, _mister!_ You ain't escaping from this one!" He could see the concern gleaming in those orbs. "So, what's with the long face?"

Danhauser broke eye contact. "I'm fine Cleria, really. I just couldn't sleep properly."

She sighed and was about to drop the subject until something sparked in her brain—a devious grin broke on her beautiful face. "I think I know what Danny needs~!"

Danhauser frowned and opened his mouth, silenced when an arm wrapped around his shoulders and pulled him closer, a wave of warmness engulfing him.

"Cleria…" He trailed off, cheeks flushing. "W-What are you doing?"

"Hmm?" His cousin blinked and tilted her head. "What's wrong? Can't I hug my little cousin now?"

"I guess you can, but… you could've warned me beforehand."

"Maybe I could," Cleria said with a nonchalant shrug. "But there's also the chance that you would refuse it."

Danhauser gave up and sipped his drink, trying to locate a comfortable position. Her embrace is pleasant, he won't deny that.

"You have dark circles under your eyes—you didn't sleep properly the previous nights," She said softly. "Why not share your problems with Lil' ol me? We're family. We watch each other's back. So, let's stay like this and whenever you're ready, don't hesitate to pull the trigger."

Danhauser bit a groan, eyes everywhere but on Cleria. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you."

Cleria clicked her tongue. "Why not?"

"You wouldn't believe it."

"Try me."

Before one of the two could retort, a tranquil tune came out from Cleria's pocket, she sighed and pulled out her cellphone, much to Danhauser's relief. "Hello?" A smile blessed on her face. "Hello, Auntie~! I'm fine thanks for asking! Yes, he's here, cuddling me, the poor thing!"

His cheeks burned a little. "Cleria…"

She stuck her tongue out, followed by a small wink, before looking away. "Something you want, auntie?" Her happy expression fell. "Is something wrong? I-I understand we're going there." She hung with knitted brows.

"What happened?" Danhauser asked, tensed. Could it be they found out about Danhauser's discussion with Rudiger?

She offered a comforting smile, ruffling his hair. "It's… better if we see this with our own eyes."

The gray-haired youth could only nod and leave the embrace.

* * *

Danhauser exhausted gray eyes traveled abruptly and tried to avoid catching the glances of the new guest and the display of the Malebranche Brother's barking at one another. He could feel Cleria shifted in her seat beside him, grasping her sweaty hands under the table. As for Danhauser, he just traced his feet against the cobbles of the kitchen's floor to distract himself.

It has been around ten minutes since both cousins made their way to the Underworld, welcomed only by the sudden screams coming behind the doors. Diehauser assured him that this is akin to a tradition around the family, just a brother, and a sister blowing off some steam when one of them did something stupid or just got on their nerves.

This was the sibling rivalry that he thankfully hasn't shared with Diehauser, yet. He didn't need to ask for the reason for the glaring contest, not at all. The Dhampir that comes from the House of Tepes is more than enough to answer half of his curiosity.

He couldn't believe it—the _Sephiroth Graal_ was before him.

Whenever Danhauser tried to steal a look at the hybrid, he would see her in the same position, sitting with her fingers brushing one of her pigtails, her blood red eyes looking anywhere except the table, her light-blonde short hair did a fine job of giving a perfect shot of her somewhat mature, pale face.

Issei Hyoudou was right in the Light Novels. She truly bears the beauty of both Humans and Vampires.

Evidently, her vision was moving faster than a leopard at a race. She was totally shaky, as a jack-rabbit that has heard the howl of a wolf. Danhauser understood her uncomfortableness, mostly when she's the Pandora Box on the table.

"Fucking hell," He heard his uncle spat, grunting. "You really like drama in your cereal, huh? Why don't you want to take the girl and get it over with?!"

"Didn't you hear what my oldest son just said?" Calcabrina growled out. "She's dangerous! Having her here will bring those damn fanatics!"

Malacoda rolled his eyes and waved off her concerns, "The Old Satans aren't going to attack you, don't get your panties in a bunch, sis."

Lady Belial scoffed. "She has a Longinus, Malacoda, that's more than enough for them to invade us! You and Matanbuchus turned the Belial Territory into a target and all because of Matanbuchus' greediness! He only cares about money now!"

He smashed a fist on the table. "Hey, that's not true! You, of all people, know what Matanbuchus' purpose is, Calcabrina!"

Calcabrina folded her arms beneath her bust. She stole a side-glance at her oldest son, instantly looking away when their eyes clashed. "Money isn't happiness."

Danhauser decided to step in. "… Sooner or later, we were going to become targets, anyways." He pointed out nervously. "Father and Uncle perhaps saved the Underworld—a Sacred Gear such as the Holy Grail is dangerous in the wrong hands."

He obviously knew better than the people assembled here. Because of the Holy Relic within Valerie Tepes, Rizevim not only brought an army of Evil Dragons, he awoke the Beast of the Apocalypse with his spirit as the last ingredient.

"Thank you!" Malacoda groaned in relief. "Finally! _Someone_ who at least isn't trying to make a hole in my fucking skull!"

Shooting her brother one last glare, she faced her son. "Sweetie, you're right. I'm not denying your Uncle and Father protected the Underworld. But why us? Why bring her here on the Belial Territory and not leave her in Dis?" She moved a hand over her hip. "This is a matter between the House of Lucifuge and the Tepes Faction, not us!"

"Dis' fucked," Malacoda admitted. "With the never-ending war between the different Clans surrounding it, it is impossible to make a peaceful living there. Plus, the population of Stray Devils is slowly increasing, almost surpassing the Pure-Blooded Devils and they don't have a friendly relationship with the latter."

Danhauser unconsciously focused on the mute Dhampir who obviously found the table far more interesting than the discussion.

Diehauser harrumphed loudly enough to catch everyone's attention. "Now that both of you stopped punching one another." He ignored the mutual grunts. "Mother's right, the pact between Lucifuge and Tepes doesn't have anything to do with us. If Dad wanted to send the girl to my territory he could at least ask for my permission before dropping her here as if he owned the place."

Danhauser gulped, he could tell by the cold tone of his voice and the way Diehauser clenched his fists that he was not happy at all.

"What are you going to do then, Diehauser?" Cleria finally spoke for everyone.

The Emperor frowned and stayed quiet, glancing down at his hands as if the answer was written there.

Having her here would be a great benefit, it would either stop or halt Qlippoth's schemes in the future, literally, the fate of the Earth depends on the hands of Valerie Tepes. But he understands where Diehauser's anger comes from. He would not only feel his mood drop but offended by the lack of respect, as well.

The Emperor finally looked up. "I'll humor father, for now." He noticed the frowns and curved eyebrows. "That doesn't mean that she'll officially stay here, I will not run the risk on the life of my family by getting invaded by an army of the Old Satan Faction. I'll think of this, until then, you and father better start searching for a place for her to stay, or send her back to her hometown."

Valerie gulped at that.

Calcabrina's sour look was enough to display her thoughts, she merely clicked her tongue and stayed quiet.

Evil Tail sighed, scratching his scalp. "That would do, I guess." He clasped both hands with a goofy grin. "Welp! If there's nothing else to add, I'll leave you guys! Love Y'all!"

And just like that, everyone stood up and left the kitchen, leaving Danhauser sitting with his cousin and the Dhampir.

Cleria wasted no time inching closer to the poor girl. "Hey there. What's your name?" She saw Valerie jump slightly, which made her chuckle. "Sorry, did I scare you? Perhaps I should give my name first." She coughed behind a fist. "I'm Cleria Belial, nice to meet you."

The light-blonde girl studied her face, before answering hesitantly. "… Valerie Tepes, the Holy Grail. Delighted to meet you."

"Valerie…" Cleria hummed. "That's a cute name."

Valerie smiled shyly.

Danhauser felt his lips going upward, letting his cousin do her charm. That's Cleria Belial. The woman who just smiles like she's happy right to the spirit like there's no sadness staining her posture. She has no mannerisms that show damage of any kind—she's perfection right down to her micro-expressions. She would instantly capture the attention of anyone with her words, even the ones who don't tend to speak a lot.

He would love to be in her shoes one day, instead of his own. How would it feel to make a conversation decent and earn some smiles. How fair is it to be born so different and then be judged for not having more?

Danhauser kicked those thoughts immediately and focused on the pair once more, only to find one of them missing. "What are you doing over there?" A feminine voice demanded besides him, looking up, he was greeted with Cleria's familiar grin.

 _"Oh no,"_ Danhauser sensed his eyes turn into dishes when she grasped his hand and pulled him out of his seat, pushing him closer the Dhampir.

A pair of hands laid over his shoulders with a chin atop his head, squeezing him. "This is my adorable little cousin. Danhauser Belial!" She whispered in his ear. "Say something!"

Danhauser flinched and felt his heart's thrumming reach his temple, he stared back at those dark red eyes, wariness honed over them.

"Uh, hey. I'm Danhauser Belial." He observed her frown deepen, he screwed up, didn't he? "Nice to meet you."

"… Likewise."

A chuckle slipped from Cleria, ruffling his gray hair. "You have to forgive him. He acts like this when he sees a cute girl."

"Cleria, _really_ stop." Danhauser groaned and facepalmed, not daring to face the confused Dhampir.

"Nope!" She winked and bent her legs in front of the blonde girl. "Say, have you ever seen Japan?"

The blonde just shook her head.

Grinning, Cleria continued. "Good, then let's get going you two!"

Something that he had learned from the previous months is that Cleria Belial is a woman who doesn't take a 'no' as an answer, her pulling the two out of the room without them voicing their opinions is a perfect example.

* * *

The tour around Kuoh Town was entertaining if you're that type of person that stays silent throughout the adventure and lets someone else do the talking. Cleria was the latter, both teenagers agreed the former suited them better, but as time went on, the doll-girl would giggle and chat with his cousin occasionally, Valerie's mask wearing off. As for Danhauser, it was a difficult task to keep it on, mostly because he hasn't slept, and the coffee wasn't doing its job correctly.

He could say 'screw it, I'm leaving' and teleport to his bed, but he didn't, mostly because of a Dhampir whose eyes were as wide as a puppy and lips slightly parted. Whenever Cleria gestured to a different building, Valerie's eyes would expand even more with the neon signs printing on her orbs. It was a cute sight, there's no doubt about that, but it's also saddening, how much of her childhood involved her being locked either in a room or a basement, depending on how she was behaving in the Tepes Castle.

Which now made sense why when her eyes accidentally either landed on him or both shared a mutual glance, her mood would lower slightly and look away.

The last stop was the park with a gentle breeze that rustles the leaves, making them fall one by one. They moved over a nearby bench, just watching the playful children and the parents interacting.

"Phew! What a ride!" Cleria dropped on the bench, her arms behind the wooden seat, grinning at Valerie. "So? Enjoyed the tour?"

The blonde girl smiled mildly. "It was nice."

Cleria laughed victoriously. "See? Told you! Japan is _beautiful!_ " Then she turned to her cousin, "How about you, Danny?"

"I had fun," Danhauser replied, rubbing his eyes.

Her smile trembled lightly, before she could add another word, her cell phone rang. She yanked it off her pants and this time watched who the caller was before groaning. She faced her cousin and winked. "Sorry, it's about work, be back in a sec!"

She stood up and answered the call, Danhauser just listened how her voice faded as she moved, leaving an empty space in the middle of the bench.

 _"Woohoo,"_ Danhauser stretched his legs out, putting his elbow on the bench's arm and staring at the clouds. He tried to take a nap to recharge some of his energy, but he couldn't, so he opted for the second plan. "I'm sorry about my mother, by the way." He started with an apology, alarming her. "She doesn't have anything against you, she was just trying to protect her family and… yeah."

The doll-like figure just stared, it made Danhauser slightly uncomfortable, how her red eyes began judging him. Finally, she looked away with a small hum. "I understand. Don't worry, me being the Holy Grail is why your mother was in a bad mood. My half-brother, Marius, was scheming something huge and I was the important piece of this project, they'll come once again soon."

"You'll be safe with us, no one's going to hurt you anymore," Danhauser assured her with a restrained yawn. "We have a lot of amazing rooms with comfy beds, excellent food every day, and great people that you can interact with." He paused. "Just keep your distance safe from my brother's Queen, he's a molester."

She gasped slightly. "Oh my, really?"

Danhauser couldn't stop the slipping chuckle. "Yeah. My brother says he's reformed. But just for safe measure, I press my arse on the wall whenever he's around."

For a second a meek smile adorned her lips, but it soon disappeared and she gazed down at the plain grass.

…

The Dhampir toyed with the corner of her dress. "Something is bothering you, isn't it?"

Danhauser blinked, twice, before lifting an eyebrow. "What makes you think that?"

"The dark circles around your eyes are a giveaway." Before the Devil could retort, she continued. "You can't hide it, everyone has physical tells."

Danhauser let her words sink in. "Tells, huh?"

The doll nodded slowly. "Yes. It's called a _face_."

The Heir frowned. "Face? I'm not making a face."

"You're making a face right now."

"I'm not making a face right now," repeated Danhauser with annoyance. She just hummed, clearly not buying it. "Wha-What face am I making, then?"

"A face that says something is bothering you," she suddenly tilted her head down and looked up beneath the eyebrows. "Something like this."

Danhauser stopped himself from snickering by rubbing his nose. "A 'bothering face.'" he repeated and cast her a small, challenging smirk. "So, you… you know facial expressions? Show me another face."

Valerie tapped her chin and pondered for a bit, before cocking her head down and puffing her cheeks out.

 _"Dear Maou, she can't be serious,"_ Danhauser chortled and shifted his arms behind the bench. "What's that face supposed to mean?"

She never broke her posture, "It's the face I use when someone drinks my wine."

This time Danhauser dissolved into a hearty laugh, catching his breath. "We do praise our wine, for real."

Her pout dropped. "Who doesn't?"

He kept his eyes locked on hers, they were _so_ captivating. He heaved a sigh, averting his gaze. "Right." He inhaled deeply and patted his knee as if he was playing the drum. "Look, I just had an unlucky night in the past with someone that brought unwelcomed memories and unanswered questions. That's all."

"You should tell someone from your family," Valerie suggested with a small shrug. "They could help you out."

"That's the problem, I can't," Danhauser yawned, watching the joyful children in the park. "Everything could change horribly if I open my mouth."

"Your secret is really _that_ bad that not even your _family_ can know?" Valerie said incredibly, earning a firm nod. Her gaze fell and her fingers stroked a pigtail, lips parting slightly, but no sound came until finally, she muttered. "Do… do you want to share them?"

If it wasn't for his improved ears, Danhauser would have missed the whisper. "What?" He said, taken back. "I'm not willing to speak about this with anyone that is close to me, what makes you think I'm going to share my inner thoughts with you? No offense, of course."

Her eyes preserved on the ground, shaking her head. "No offense taken," she clasped her hands. "I had passed from something identical to your situation, but unlike you, I needed someone to listen to my ventings for a few minutes, but no one obviously did, until I met him." A fragile smile arose on her beautiful face. "A cute boy with platinum hair, my only and best friend."

 _"Gasper,"_ Danhauser guessed, lifting a leg and landing it atop the other, all his attention steered to the beautiful girl.

"Without him, my brain would've shut down, I would be stressed, paranoid, and so on." Finally, she lifted her red orbs and gave a look. "I won't force you, neither do I need to be that person listening to your dilemma, but if you keep locking yourself up, you'll only think about this and nothing else around you, trying to find a solution, until you fail miserably, and in the future, you'll do something that you may regret for the rest of your life." She took a breath. "That's not befitting for a King."

He doesn't try to speak again. He exhaled and tucked his knees to his chest, lay his elbows on his thighs and cover his face with his hands. Valerie could listen to his slow breathing from her seat, possibly demanding for his cousin's presence.

She shrugged and distracted herself with anything else, accommodating her blonde hair whenever the wind decided to tease her. She tried her best, if he doesn't want to speak, it's fine, every so often, learning the hard way works, too—she thought.

"…Have you ever lost someone you love _so much_ and wanted one more conversation with?" She jumped slightly, following the familiar, muffled voice.

"What do you mean?" Valerie stuttered, seeing the gray youth in the same position.

She caught the whistle coming from him as his back stayed rigid, a tired chuckle fleeing from his lips. "Back when I was a toddler, a woman was taking care of me."

"A babysitter?" Valerie surmised.

Danhauser stayed quiet. "... Yeah, something like that." He harrumphed. "Either way, I grew up with her at my side, she fed me when I was a baby, took care of me, played with me. For me? That woman was my mother, father, and best friend." He suddenly snickered. "And for her, I was her 'little shit.'"

Valerie raised an amused eyebrow. "Little shit, really?"

"Yeah. It irked me to no end, but I understood why. I was so _damn_ obnoxious back then." Danhauser sighed out. "It was only the two of us, we went out for dinner, we criticized anything that our vision caught sight off as if we were the universe's greatest creation, but mostly we just hung out on her old, comfy brown leather couch and watched bad television. We laughed, we cried, we held hands and sometimes we didn't have to say a word."

He paused to spare a glance at Valerie, who was hugging her legs with a cheek reclining on her knees, paying attention to his tale.

"Go on," She said, rocking carefully on her seat.

Danhauser looked down at his shoe, dug in his toe and pushed around a pile of dirt. "Well... one day I woke up alone, in a place I barely knew, knowing I have to survive to the end, without her support. That was the day I knew she was gone."

The doll scowled and lifted her head, her brow arched knowingly. "Did she… die?"

Danhauser chuckled and rubbed his sudden heavy eyes. "That's… that's the funniest part. I don't even know if she's dead or alive, praying to God for the latter, though." He said, wincing at the expected headache.

She frowned at the answer, he doesn't know? What does that even mean? "Have you ever tried contacting her?"

"I can't. She's no longer here," replied Danhauser with a shaky breath. "Since then, I tried to get over it and move on, but it's easier said than done." He chuckled ruefully. "Never said goodbye and thank you, dick move, yeah?"

Valerie's mouth opened, but her words died in her throat. "Excuse me…" she said gently, pointing at her eyes. "You are…"

"Shit, sorry," Danhauser laughed quietly, passing his sleeve over his wet cheeks. "D-damn I'm making a mess now, I wish I had the Gamer Mind right now."

 _"Gamer what?"_ She shook her head. "Don't apologize, it's fine." She intertwined her thumbs. "I'll be honest with you. Your story is puzzling, and I still don't get how she's gone forever, but I won't question it, I've heard enough." She looked up. "However, you should stop trying to _'get over it,'_ because you really won't."

"H-hmm?"

"She watched you as a baby, as a child, and as a teenager," said Valerie. "During that time, her utmost concern and dream was that you grow up healthy and happy while keeping close to her as her _'little shit.'_ " Both shared a mutual chuckle. "… More often than not, she was adapting you to live your life in all that it has to offer you. Be you. Take deep breaths. And take baby steps to doing right things. And those steps will get naturally get bigger and bigger over time, with her always behind your back. Always."

…

"Be... me and do the right thing."

"Yes."

His brain tickled like a hand that's been sat on for too long. A smile was playing at the corner of his lips as he stared at his grayish palms. "That..." He whispered and clenched his fists. "That makes sense..."

"I still believe you'll find her someday," Valerie encouraged him. "We live in a small world. There's a chance that you may bump shoulders with her."

"As much as I would love to see that happen, it's impossible, we're on different roads now. Thank you nonetheless." He flexed his arms out, moaning after cracking a bone. "Don't know how, but I feel different. As if I could punch the strongest being in the world and get away with it." He wheezed out. "I still want to sleep, though."

Her smile shone like stars after dark, with a dangerous glint surrounding it. "Punch someone and get away with it, hmm? Think you can go after my brother?"

Danhauser shot her a small wink. "Give me his home address and I'll blow his fangs out."

"Ehehehehe…" She giggled behind a hand. "Maybe one day, one day…"

The gray youth shuffled awkwardly. "Thank you, really. I never thought it would work… but thank you. I owe you one."

She waved off his gratitude and concentrated into the setting sun. "Don't worry about it."

…

…

…

"I'm back~!" Both teens turned at the source of the sound, it was obviously Cleria, sweat pouring from her forehead. "What's up, guys? Miss me~?"

Danhauser sewed his mouth for a moment, scanning her before his eyes halted over the object under her armpit. "What took you so long?"

Cleria pouted. "Gee… I can see you two were worried about me!" She passed a hand above her sweaty brows. "Sorry guys, I needed to get back to Kuoh Academy, remember what had happened about the unanswered Luxury Case?"

If Danhauser was shocked, he hid it very well. "Of course I do. Were Kuoh's students kidnapped?"

Her eyes softened and a palm moved to her chest. "Thank Maou not, but the parents are still worried about their children if the school gets raided by those terrorists somehow."

Valerie turned to Danhauser. "Terrorists?"

Danhauser faced her and nodded. "Yes, months ago, around May, a cruise sailing towards Hawaii was attacked and one half sunk to the depths, the other stayed floating, but no bodies of students and teachers were found… yet."

She blinked, "That's… unfortunate."

"You tell me," Cleria agreed with the blonde girl. "Luckily, summer is next door and there's going to be a large period of vacations for the students. That would be enough time to hire some guards to watch the school's gates."

Danhauser stayed quiet but nodded regardless. If she's referring to guards such as an officer then it won't make any difference, it would only make the students nervous to see a man with a gun around their waist. The presence of police does not enhance the educational experience—in fact, it can diminish it. But this is a different case, these are terrorists, which have discovered the Supernatural World and can invoke magic with a snap of their fingers. If she's, however, speaking of Devils or someone from Diehauser's Peerage, then the newspaper better start nominating Kuoh Academy as the safest school in Japan, if not, the whole world.

 _"We have exorcists in Kuoh, too,"_ Danhauser mused, _"They protect the defenseless, they'll finally be useful."_ He shook his head and nodded at the box. "What's in there?"

Cleria shook the medium-sized crate lightly. "The bane of my life, paperwork," she groaned dramatically with her palm above her temple. "Oh! If there was a _young gentleman_ to carry the stuff of this _beautiful_ , _young_ maiden!"

Danhauser clashed gazes with her and chuckled, "Oh, _lucky you._ " He stretched his arms out, a sudden weight erupting from his limbs, followed by a cheerful thank you. "I assume we're going to your house now?"

"You assumed correctly, Danny!" Cleria watched the skies, frowning. "It's getting dark, why don't you two sleep in my humble home? I'll send a call to your mother, of course."

Danhauser spared a glance at the Dhampir who in return smile and nodded. "Tomorrow is Sunday, so I don't see why not."

"Let's get going, then!" Cleria was the first one to move, followed by the two teenagers.

 _"Do the right thing to make mom happy,"_ Danhauser chanted, tightening his hold on the package. _"Alright then, I know where to begin."_

* * *

Today is Sunday.

He isn't going to lie, he had a lot of fun with Cleria Belial and Valerie Tepes yesterday, from playing video games to watching bad programs on the television while eating popcorn, it was all fun. He had asked Cleria to lend him her phone, to talk a little with his mother and for a small favor, to tell his Peerage to wait for him in his room around the morning. It was an important meeting that Danhauser had wanted to do months ago, but decided not to, mostly to not appear suspicious in the eyes of both Knights, but now, he had the rest of the night to think about a subject that was as annoying as a thorn stuck in his finger.

He, however, had to leave Cleria's house earlier, much to the dismay of his cousin, but nonetheless, she reluctantly agreed on sending him back to the Underworld. He had hugged his cousin as a goodbye. Unfortunately, Valerie was still asleep, so Danhauser decided not to shatter her dreams and make sure the blanket was warming her exhausted body, leaving her in the hands of Cleria Belial.

He has everything written in his head, now he needs to spread his knowledge with his Peerage.

If his mother was here, maybe she'd be proud of him.

He drew breath from his nose and blew it away, looking up and twisting the knob, coming face to face with not only his full Peerage but a small red Dragon and a black dog as well, the whole cavalry was here—he thought.

"Danhauser," Bova Tannin was the first to greet him, smirking.

"Good morning, everyone," Danhauser shut the door closed and before anyone could open their mouth, the King pulled out his phone and typed his password, tossing the mobile at Siegfried. "Do me a favor and check the news from there, mostly about cases that involve kidnapping."

"… Of course," The Knight said, puzzled, but still obeying the orders of his superior. "By the way, I know time has passed, but, how was the talk with the Magician?"

It felt like a slap in his face. "... Everything went well, thanks for asking, Siegfried. Keep searching for information, please."

"What for?" Tobio pushed himself off the wall—Danhauser could feel the venom staining his throat. "Nevermind that, why are we here? A Peerage meeting or what?"

"Utsusemi," Danhauser responded firmly, confusing everyone. "The Utusemi Agency is the group behind the Luxury Case."

If Danhauser had a camera in his hand, he would take advantage of this situation. Seeing the two astonished stares of the Knights and the confused tilted head of Bova was a sight to behold.

"What?!" Tobio immediately teleported in front of his master, grabbing him by the shoulders as if he was attempting to run away. "What-When-How?!"

Danhauser just smiled and gently broke his grasp out of him. "I'll answer questions when I finish, okay?"

The brunet nodded eagerly.

"Good, the reason why they attacked the cruiser is to use the victims to install artificial beings called Utsusemi." He saw Tobio's lips separating. "Utsusemi are artificial beings, they are a weaker version of Avatar-Type Sacred Gears, such as Canis Lykaon." He whistled at the dog, Jin, who's ears stretched upwards.

"Who's the one that leads this agency?" Tobio dashed for the next question.

"… Someone from the same Clan as you." Danhauser heard Tobio gasp. "Hanezu Himejima, a stray member of the Himejima Clan."

"Shit…" Tobio cursed, aghast. "Could it mean that he knew about me? About Jin? That's why he attacked my school specifically, isn't?"

"It could be," Danhauser admitted, noticing Tobio's shoulders slumping slightly. He squeezed one of those shoulders. "Now, this isn't the time to get sad, this is not your fault. Chin up."

Slash Dog pursed his lips and nodded grimly.

"Besides, he attacked your school for something else, actually…" He trailed off, Tobio instantly lifting his eyes up. "It's about a Sacred Gear's matter, Utsusemi Agency's purpose is to obtain the Avatar-Type Sacred Gears called The Four Fiends, chaotic creatures whose powers oppose the Five Great Families, he wants to pay a visit."

"Revenge," Siegfried spoke, taking his eyes off the screen. "This Hanezu Himejima was part of the group, wasn't he?" His master hummed in response. "They've outcast him. Hence the reason for why he wants to invade the Himejima Clan."

"I see why you were one of the greatest Exorcists on the Orthodox Church, Siegfried," Danhauser complimented him. "You are somewhat correct, but the Himejima are not the only ones affected."

"They're aiming for the other Houses, too…" Tobio muttered, finally catching on. "The Agency is formed by exiled members of the Five Families, right?"

"These people have on their arms two hundred thirty-two students of your former school," Danhauser continued, "Each one of them is going to have a single Utsusemi. Do any of you wish to do the math?"

"Four hundred sixty-four," Siegfried answered with ease, "They're building an army."

"What the fuck," Tobio blanched, fists clenched. "They're using innocents as their own weapons?! They're experimenting with my friends?!" He stomped angrily. "Motherfuckers!"

"Calm down, Tobio," Danhauser ordered, "I understand you're angry, but I need you focused right now."

The Longinus User wanted to say something in return, but he opted to close his eyes and take a deep breath. "… Okay, I'm alright now. I'm alright."

"Master, if I may ask," Siegfried suddenly moved closer. "Where did you gather this data? This isn't information that you can gather just by searching on the internet with a few clicks."

"…" Danhauser would be sweating bullets right now, he would look away from those curious red eyes, stutter and even discount his question, but he was ready. The moment he had stepped inside Cleria's house, he began formulating a plan.

He answered. "The Governor-General of the Fallen Angels told me."

"What?!" Siegfried almost exploded, nearly dropping the phone. "You spoke with _Azazel?!_ "

"Yeah."

"Are you out of your mind, Master?!"

"Uh, who's that?" Tobio asked, scratching his head.

Danhauser turned to him, "He's a Fallen Angel as strong as a Satan, a nice geezer to drink and talk with, but no leader material, in my opinion."

"And someone who could have _killed you_ with ease, Master!" Siegfried snapped, but paused, not letting his emotions manage the situation. He breathed in and out, and finally, addressed his master, calmly this time, but the sharp gaze remained in there. "Where did you meet him?"

"When I went to Dis," Danhauser replied, shrugging. "Seems that Azazel is another customer."

"Huh, meeting the Leader of the Fallen Angels," Bova finally spoke. "He told you all that in one day? Bullshit."

"Of course he told me in exchange for something," Danhauser heaved a sigh. "We're going to help."

Tobio's heart almost stopped functioning. "Wait, we're going to fight?"

Danhauser smiled at his hopeful Knight. "Yes, Tobio, we're going to save all those kids. I promise." His lips formed a thin line. "I'm afraid that we won't attack, though. We'll wait for them to strike and we'll strike back. I'm sorry."

Tobio shook his head, "Don't apologize, man. You talked with an archenemy of your race just to find further information about my friends. I… I don't know what to say." He dropped to his knees and pressed his forehead to the floor, surprising everyone. "Thank you _so much._ "

Danhauser bit his cheek, while the words of Tobio carried a lot of compliments, it didn't make him feel any better, on the contrary, it made him feel like a complete piece of crap.

He ignored those thoughts. "You don't have to do that, _please_ stand up," his King nearly begged. "I told you that if you joined me I would do whatever it was possible to help you out."

He stood up with Siegfried's help, "I know, I know, but still…"

"Anyhow," Danhauser harrumphed. "Siegfried, found anything?"

"Nothing about missing students or children without a home," The former Exorcists gave the good news, "However… a zoo was assaulted, and the animals are gone, all this occurred during the night."

Danhauser curved an eyebrow, "Really now?"

The swordsman tossed the mobile back to its owner, "Affirmative. What peaked my curiosity is that the cells are completely intact, no signs of scratches on the bars whatsoever."

"Magic," Bova suggested with a growl. "I can smell it from here…"

"Agreed," Danhauser grunted, scratching his chin. "Now we know the first step to make an Utsusemi…"

"What are we going to do?" The Japanese asked.

"They only know about Tobio and Sae," Danhauser pointed out, "They don't know about Jin, they don't know about Siegfried, and they don't know about me."

"A sneak attack?" Siegfried understood, "It could work."

"Sae takes a train to leave Ryoukouu Town and reach Kuoh Town, correct?" Tobio hummed in response. "The Agency is hunting down those students who were not involved in the Luxury Liner."

"You want to use her as bait?" Tobio glowered. The last thing he ever wanted to do is involve her childhood friend in the middle of this battle, what if they escape with Sae Toujou in their grasp? And the next time they met she'll be another shell with that stupid Utsusemi at her side!

"That's the only way to attack them without them expecting it," Danhauser answered coolly. "We need to take advantage of their ignorance and their cockiness. They'll never expect a bunch of brats screwing their plans."

"He's right," Siegfried sided with his master. "We can't waste this opportunity, Tobio."

Tobio chewed his lip and closed his eyes, massaging them. "…Fine, I'll talk with her."

"Thank you," Danhauser patted his shoulder. "We'll keep an eye on her every time she leaves Kuoh Town. For now, we need to train. Hard." His faced hardened. "Mostly you, we need to hone your skills with swords, mostly dual style, Siegfried can help you out there. He's an amazing swordsman." He turned to the hero descendant. "Don't hold back."

"No objections here," Siegfried obeyed.

Tobio nodded, but this time with vigor.

"With the three—!" Belial paused and glanced at the quiet dog. "Four."

Jin barked back, tail wagging happily.

"We can defeat them, they depend on the Utsusemi. I know we can win this. This Peerage is literally filled with people that in the future are going to be known as _monsters_ throughout the _damn_ world, but it can only work if you guys put efforts on your training." He bit his cheek. _"I also need to learn how to fly..."_

"Sign me in," Bova said, finally shapeshifting in his gigantic form. "I don't know what you guys are talking about, but if there's a fight, then I won't miss it."

"Bova, are you sure?" Danhauser asked, concerned. "You're not part of my Peerage, I don't want to force you into this."

Bova's pencil-thin lips rotated into a grin, smashing both fists together. "Are you serious? And let you guys have all the fun? Yeah no. I don't care where I fight. As long as I get to hurt someone."

Danhauser sighed and shook his head, "Welcome aboard."

Suddenly, the door behind Danhauser twisted open, ensnaring everyone's attention. "…Shit."

The Heir was surprised seeing who the eavesdropper was. "Valerie?"

Said girl smiled with a mix of nervousness and embarrassment. She stepped inside, letting the small gust of wind close the door. "Hello there."

…

 _"A Dragon. What an amazing creature..._ " The Dhampir slid her hands across the dress, feeling almost small at the stare of each male in the room. "I-I heard everything…"

No one said a word. Danhauser mentally punching himself for not putting a barrier around the room.

"I can offer my assistance," Valerie continued, looking at Danhauser's stunned gray eyes. "You have big hitters on your team, but you need a support. I can fill that role."

"Excuse me, but I don't think we haven't met," Siegfried folded his arms, eyeing her warily.

The doll grabbed her dress and bowed like a princess. "I'm Valerie Tepes, honored meeting each one of you."

"… I thought the Vampires were going to be only involved with Dis, not the House of Belial." Siegfried commented, now staring at his master. "I'm also surprised a girl is part of the Tepes Faction. Siegfried's my name, by the way."

"That's a long story for another time," Danhauser muttered, turning to the blonde girl. "You already helped me enough. You don't have to do this."

"I won't deny it, if they were already dead, I wouldn't lift a finger," she admitted. "This isn't the case here. These poor victims are being forced into something that could take their lives. It's a terrible fate."

Danhauser just kept his eyes locked on hers. They were filled with determination, most of that attitude comes from her background.

"Welcome to the squad then," Danhauser finally accepted. He clasped both hands, "Alright everyone! This poor Agency needs a small tour of the town, let's be their honored guide, understood?"

[Yes!]

"You may leave now," Danhauser gestured at the exit, "This is a secret between us, only Sae can know about this, but other than that no one else can, unless I say otherwise."

They only nodded and walked away one by one, leaving Danhauser alone with the only female of the party. "Something wrong, Valerie?"

"I don't have a room," Valerie explained, "Who do I need to talk with to obtain one?"

Danhauser nodded. "That would be my mother," Danhauser saw the flinch coming from her. "… in a second we'll go and search for her, wait for me outside, I need to do something, please."

Valerie bid her farewell. "Of course," Nothing else to add, she left and closed the door.

Danhauser rolled his wrist and gazed downwards. "You always cared for children, didn't you? Your Little Shit is going to save some. Just watch you old hag."

With nothing else to say, he rushed at the doors and vanished from the room, something that he always knew is to not make a woman wait a lot of time.

* * *

July.

The news slowly, but effectively stopped talking about a subject that has left the whole world with jaws wide open. The Luxury Case. Obviously, those who are parents of the kidnapped haven't sat in their houses with arms crossed above their chests. Every day and night they would riot in Ryoukuu Highschool's gates, shouting and demanding for their children to be returned to their homes. It was turbulent, to the point that officers had to drive out the sentimental families.

Unfortunately, long ago the Head of the school had escaped from the chaos, not daring to carry the weight over their shoulders. Forcing the affected to start the riot at the police station.

Indeed, Sae Toujou was a lucky girl.

The fading of the sunlight had also meant the fading of the heat. The wintry air swirled around Sae, taking every lick of warmth it could. She wrapped her arms tighter around herself, pulling her coat closer and tucking her chin down into her pullover. Sae walked in the city like her father used to drive their old car, the same route he'd used to reach Ryoukuu Highschool. She wasn't accustomed to the new appearance of her neighborhood. The badly worn graffiti smeared on the walls that carried the same memorandum or at least speaking about a similar case: **_Never Forget._**

The plants that sprouted through every sidewalk crack and multiples signs and trash dropped in the midst of the streets, blocking the way of vehicles and citizen. She might snap and curse the insipid urban decay. But like anything that changes slowly, the differences were hard to detect. She walked her route so often that she herself was part of the backdrop for others, she was simply a girl on a walk, a beautiful skirt taking her to school, but she won't deny it, every time she traveled around here, it was as if she has entered Yakuza territory.

This place almost resembled a Ghost Town.

Her parents were going to be angry. Why was she walking in the middle of this frightening night?! She had warned her parents beforehand that she may be late reaching home since she had to make an admission exam to become a student in the elite school. Her parents offered to wait for her in the train station, Sae told them that Tobio Ikuse was going to watch over her. This made both adults still nervous, but nonetheless, they went along with it.

She, however, never told them the complete truth.

The approaching footsteps clip-clopped down the streets, the sound came in front of her, she stopped and looked up. Her soul almost deserting her body at the sight.

She remembered that uniform and that face.

"K-Kouta…!" She croaked out and took a step closer, nostalgia slapping her. The friend of both Tobio and Sae stood far away from her, just below a streetlight, the latter not doing very well to show his whole face.

Before she could run and bring him into a bear-crushing embrace, a familiar and annoying voice came to her ear. **[Don't. Move.]** Tobio's master warned her. **[Just stay there and wait for him to disappear in the corner.]**

It hurt her, a lot, but she understood why both Tobio and Danhauser prompted her to keep her distance if she finds a student or teacher from the Luxury Case. They're no longer the same. If they're here, it's because the Agency began hunting the survivors.

So, she just stood there, both fists clenched to her side and looking at the raven-haired from far away, his eyes hidden by his hair. Finally, Kouta walked away, and just as Danhauser said, he disappeared in behind the corner. The way he'd moved made her gulp, he was like a zombie from the movies series and the weak groans was just another nod to her statement.

 **[Move.]** The order was not only for her but for the whole Peerage as well, Sae looked to the left when she'd heard the bushes rustling, noticing a figure with silver hair and red eyes peeking out from the shrubs. He just nodded at her and retreated to the wall made of leaves.

Her green eyes lifted up at the sound of whistling, it was Tobio, just atop of a roof. How the owners of that building didn't hear him landing was beyond her. He shot her a thumbs-up and invoked his wings, swapping to another roof.

She didn't know Danhauser and that foreign light-blonde girl's location, maybe not far away.

Taking a deep breath, she felt her legs moving on their own, chasing after Kouta.

She was growing impatient. She doesn't remember how many times she has rounded corners, how many times she has ventured into an alleyway and passageway. Always Danhauser would say "stop" and "move" and she would obey without hesitation.

She crossed at the lights and jogged softly to the iron gate. The bushes and trees were almost silhouettes, the darkest green. The path was the only faint thing stretching into the concrete floor. This was the playground.

The slow creeks of the swings, rusty and weathered, sent a shiver down to her spine. She stood in the center when footsteps began approaching. Whoever is coming up the grass is either large and heavily armed or a gang leader who considers themselves untouchable, or the people who have abducted Sae and Tobio's friends. Take a guess.

A clap came from the incoming horde, it was slow and has a taste of sarcasm dripped on the sound. "Well, well." The voice was male. "Well, hello, _Sae Toujou_. Isn't it past your bedtime?"

"…" She just watched in horror at the small army, those vast, empty, white eyes glaring back at her, cracked moans erupting from with lewd smiles. The worst part was the creatures at their sides, they were as big as Komodo Dragons, their thick dark green scales sharp and big mouths that could swallow a dog with a single bite.

There was a crunch of grass and branches behind her, not the kind of continuous noise you'd get from a rolling car, but the defined short crunch of a footstep. The darkness pressed in on her as she fought the urge to turn around and scream her lungs out. "W-What have you done?"

"Where's Tobio Ikuse?" He pushed her question aside.

"…"

"It seems I have to pay another visit to this town. _Fantastic_ ," The man groaned out, waving his arm sluggishly. "Grab her."

At his command, the Utsusemi in Sae's vision shot their elastic tongues out while the ones from behind rushed forward with fangs on display.

She merely shut her eyes and waited, her heart ready to explode at any moment, that is until she heard a voice that calmed her nerves.

 **[Now!]**

Her eyes were still shut, but a dog barked behind her, followed by hissings of pain, the smell of blood and metal tickling her nose. Once again, those green orbs stretched open, relief washing over her when she noticed both Siegfried and Tobio standing in front of her, Jin was obviously behind her, the dog had been inside her shadow all along.

Not only that, but Tobio and Sae's friends are pinned down by tendrils made out of shadows. Unfortunately, some of them were left standing and ready to fight back.

The terrorist watched with his mouth slightly open. "What the fuck?!" He snapped, before another curse could flee from his teeth, spheres of demonic power fell from the skies and atop the group of Utsusemi, enveloping the enemy on a thick cloud of dust.

* * *

Danhauser landed beside Sae. "Good job." He complimented.

Sae just sighed as her heart relaxed. "Took you _so_ long…"

The Heir just patted her shoulder. "You should stand back, things are not looking good right now."

She saw his hand twitched involuntarily. "You... you're nerv—!"

"Things are about to get messy, Sae."

The girl, trusting his judgment, stayed behind the park's entrance. It wasn't a good idea if she ran away, what if they send a pair of those things to hunt her down?

He felt another presence swap places with the Japanese girl, the cold aura was a familiar one. "Any of you wounded? Valerie here can help patch your wounds." With a snap of his fingers, five magic seals appeared to his sides, all of them aimed at the fog of dirt.

Valerie solely nodded firmly from his side, observant of all the demonic spheres mercilessly headed for their adversaries.

No answer came when the cloud rushed against them, forcing them to cover their eyes, "I can't believe it," Danhauser heard, finally the gust dispersing. Two three-meter tall silhouettes, towering everyone, steam coming from their bodies, they had tanked Danhauser's attack. "You're not ordinary brats, not at all! _Perfect!_ Each one of you is going to be an _excellent_ addition! Attack!"

The clay dolls mutually wailed out akin to a whale's cry, they were joined by the smaller Utsusemi creatures soon after.

Danhauser clicked his tongue, this must be Kazuhisa Doumon, since he could fabricate figures with clay, such as the two Goliaths before him, plus the Doumon Clan is well known for that mystical technique.

"Distract them," Danhauser ordered, unsheathing his spear. "I'll call the cavalry."

Siegfried smirked and rushed immediately, a silver blur in the eyes of almost everyone, especially the enemy. The Hero descendant slashed across the giant's legs with his three swords, it left a horrible scar, but it wasn't deep enough to make one of them fall to the ground defenseless. He jumped back whenever a tongue lashed out for him, cutting it in half as punishment, sometimes the Utsusemi would leap at him, cutting the animals in half with ease.

Tobio whistled and Jin instantly shapeshifted into a dark, curved sword with red runes engraved on the blade, he soon joined Siegfried in the frail, slashing a few Utsusemi to reach his destination, whenever one of the missing students charged to attack Danhauser's Peerage, he would block the attack and use the dull side of his blade to not cause serious damage.

To Danhauser's surprise, the Utsusemi didn't bleed, every time they were sliced apart by both Knights, only a black liquid left their bodies.

The Giants did everything possible to inflict critical damage to the Knights, punching the floor and making it quiver, slap them away, kick the dirt and throwing chunks of soil to them, but they were so _damn_ fast! As they continued to rage on, their attacks accidentally knocked and destroyed the approaching Utsusemi.

"Watch it you, idiots!" Kazuhisa shouted far away from the fight, fumbling with his tie. "Attack the damn brats! Damn it!"

Danhauser took aim at the terrorist, stopping when he heard a snarl, rolling out of the way as an Utsusemi lunged after his wrist, the Avatar Sacred Gear bared its fangs threateningly and dived once again, only to be pulled down by a string of shadows. Danhauser rushed and thrust his spear into the Utsusemi's head.

He pulled his weapon back, looking over his shoulder. "Thanks, Valerie."

The girl turned back to the cold fight, using limbs molded by shadows to yank some Utsusemi's out of Siegfried's and Tobio's back and flaw their postures, sometimes even crushing their necks out.

Danhauser brought a finger to his ear. "Bova, you hear me?"

He heard a grunt. **[Yeah, what do you want?]**

Danhauser pulled his digit out from his lobe and took grasp of his weapon properly, moving aside to evade the roaring beast, kicking it in the jaw to build some distance. Danhauser abused the machine's frozen state, piercing its neck and yanking it out quickly just in time to whirl around and stop another one in mid-air.

He once again resumed his chat. "See the dolls?" By swinging his spear, he pulled the Komodo Dragon out his lance, the corpse crashing with an Utsusemi sneaking behind the Dhamphir.

"Thanks!" She shouted, before grasping both with her shadows and catapulting them at the hordes surrounding both Knights.

No answer came, only a grumble, **[Yeah, I see them.]**

Danhauser glared at Kazuhisa. "I don't want to."

 **[Heh-heh-heh.]** Bova ended the exchange with that last laugh.

Danhauser frowned and looked up, his eyes widening in shock at the blurred projectile. He turned to his Knights. "You two, get out!"

Tobio and Siegfried exchanged brief glances before peeking up, feeling their tongues dry out. Thankfully their legs instinctively drove them away from the incoming landing.

The clay dolls never had the time to tilt their heads as the Dragon finally made his presence known, sending a plume of dry mud and clay skyward.

The Heir maneuvered his arm above his face, blocking the rain of clay—he sighed and glared at Bova. "Fancy entrance, but you could have warned us, Bova."

"I totally agree," Siegfried flatly said, joining Bova while dusting his silver hair.

"Yeah, what the hell, man?!" Tobio shouted, moving next to Tannin's son and slapped his knee. "You nearly killed us!"

"It would be interesting, actually," Valerie mumbled her thoughts. "How flat can you squeeze a human? Like if you used a hydraulic press or released a giant concrete block from above. How thin can a human ultimately be?"

"..." The brunet confronted his boss, "Did… did what?"

Danhauser just shrugged.

"D-Dragon…! A Dragon…!" Kazuhisa felt his legs wobbling. "D-DRAGOOON! ATTACK! ALL OF YOU ATTACK!" He spun and ran off somewhere else. He could smell the defeat from far away, and he knows it.

Even Sae who has been silent for a long time, felt her jaw crashing on the floor.

 _"No, you don't!"_ Danhauser summoned his weak version of Gate of Babylon and took aim at Kazuhisa who was climbing the large fences. Unfortunately, something wet and slippery wrapped around his wrist, yanking him enough crack up his posture. He looked behind his shoulder, it was another Utsusemi, its damped tongue restraining him.

Danhauser scoffed and let loose his spear, now clutching the humid tongue with a bare hand. He spun it around like a cowboy with a lasso and slammed it to the ground, the muscle finally freeing him.

"You guys take care of this," Danhauser commanded, picking up his spear quickly, trying to locate the man behind all this mess. His eyes scanning quicker than before until they stopped on an abandoned building whose door is open, inviting anyone with courage. Great, the man must be an Olympic runner, if it wasn't for the improved sight, he may have lost him.

He invoked his wings and chased after him.

* * *

The first floor was in a markedly finer state than the ground floor with all doors still in their legitimate places, however, the paint clinging to them, once colorful, now many hues of yellow and green. A thick layer of dust established on anything in view, bestowing the location an ambiance of being untouched for many years, unlike downstairs where the dust hung in the air clearly disturbed at a regular occurrence.

The only light source for the dank, dark building were the cracks in the roof and barricades over the windows firing stripes of light into the nearly destroyed building.

 _"Thank Maou for the night vision,"_ Suddenly, a round of claps echoed across the abandoned floor, Danhauser forced to twirl and raise his spear at the challenger.

It was obviously no other than Kazuhisa Doumon stepping out of the shadows with a triumphant smirk and the unhurried clapping, but Belial's attention wasn't on the man, it was on the animal in front of the terrorist.

Ahead of Danhauser stood a gigantic feline, his face framed by his black and gray mane and those bored, glowing blue eyes of polished stone, paws that with a single swipe could crack a human's neck. This was the animal crowned by humanity as the King of the Jungle.

 _"This is the Cowardly Leo, Sae's Utsusemi in Slash/Dog's Light Novel."_ Danhauser wrapped demonic energy on his hand. _"But then I appeared and ruined the picture_ _."_

"I can't believe you'd pursue me here," Kazuhisa chuckled, his amusement turned woeful. "What the hell are you? Where did you get that drag—!"

Condensed demonic energy flew directed at him and the lion, Danhauser's powers nailed the two of them, but the giant cat took most of the firepower.

Seeing his master becoming wounded encouraged the lion, throwing a roar at his foe and rush at him, bare fangs on display.

Danhauser gritted his teeth and moved out of the way to evade those claws. _"There's no wound,"_ He noticed the fur still intact by his magic, he whacked the lion with the butt of his spear, building some space. _"Just like the Nemea Lion. His skin can withstand attack—it would be a shame if someone could nullify that."_

"You piece of shit!" Kazuhisa cursed on the floor, grabbing his bleeding shoulder, he tried to kick the air angrily, but it made him hiss as he shifted his palm over wounded leg as well.

Danhauser paid no mind to his cries. He covered his lance in demonic power first, but slowly it grasped a greyish color. He cocked his head back when the Utsusemi went for another swipe, the King of Beasts stood with his hind legs, displaying intimidation and strength.

Danhauser grimaced and onset his weapon, the lion tried to slap it away, but Belial was faster, letting a roar of pain as the tip not only destroyed his iron skin but pierced his flesh as well. He quickly pulled the weapon, small drops of red coming from the wound."It bleeds…" the Utsusemi rushed like a bull, but his movement was duller now, enough for Danhauser to duck and bring the tip to his shoulder. _"This one's from the zoo, you poor thing."_ He went for the head to end his suffering, but the lion moved away and only succeeded in piercing an eye, much to the feline's anger and strain.

"W- _What?!_ " Kazuhisa spat out and stood up, legs wrestling to stand up, he used the wall as support. "That stupid witch told me his fur is impenetrable! What the fuck are you?!" No response. "Answer me!"

The Cowardly Leo wasn't going down before taking someone with him, his remaining eye honed as he shattered Danhauser's weapon with ease, quickly bolting at Danhauser with his slobbery jaw steady to tear his throat out.

Caught off-balance by the feline's tenacity, Danhauser could only sacrifice his arm as a shield to entertain the big fangs—

After the snap, he slammed to the floor with a scream as the bulky beast laid atop him, an arm between the red teeth-like daggers as streams of crimson left the mauled limb, coloring the lion's snout and mane in red.

Kazuhisa snickered whilst crawling toward the sharp part of the battered spear.

Losing himself to suffering and along the way his logical thinking, Belial enveloped his fist with Worthlessness and smashed it against his nose three times in a row, painfully freeing himself as the black lion crashed into a now cracking wall.

Muting his screams with gritted teeth, he snapped his fingers and summoned four ripples of demonic circles above them, all aimed at the beast's unconcious back.

 _"I'm so sorry,"_ Finally the four circles began firing at the creature all at once as torment seared through the lion's back, burning his mane like boiling water.

Slowly dropping on his knees, agony ate at his scarred abdomen, there's nausea too.

Footsteps and a war cry alerted Danhauser's ears, quickly standing up and dodging the stab from Kazuhisa, a punch on the chest was enough to transform the terrorist into a blur and impact the far wall, worthlessly dropping on the ground with a last groan.

Danhauser's knees betrayed him, his form crouched in the semi-darkness, muscles contracting as if expelling his guts was next on the agenda. His stomach demanded an oral release.

He laughed tiredly and stole constant glances at his ravaged arm. "I guess no more Sunday night on the internet, unlucky. Kidding, I'm lefty. Ha."

His throat ignited and a by vivid yellow bile left his mouth.

* * *

It was exhausting to leave the abandoned building with a red arm that no longer moves while dragging an unconscious terrorist by the leg and a stomach that holds a grudge towards its owner. The animal's corpse stayed behind, Danhauser didn't have Power of Destruction to turn the creature into lesser than ashes, all he knows that sooner or later, the body is going to leave a horrible smell and attract an unwelcome audience.

He reached the park's iron gates and whistled to catch his Peerage's attention, which worked surprisingly well. "Good job, everyone. All of you did great."

Siegfried was the first one to discover his wound, rushing immediately to his side. "Master! Are you alright?! How do you feel?!"

"I feel like shit."

"Holy fuck!" Tobio almost shouted, eyes growing wide, gesturing wildly at the battered limb. "W-What the hell happened to your fucking arm?!" He saw Sae approaching curiously. "Don't!"

"I fought a black lion on the first floor of an abandoned building," Danhauser replied, dropping Kazuhisa's feet down.

The brunet stared. "You know, I wouldn't believe it a while ago and call it bull... but here I am, defeating an army of Lizards and two gigantic dolls."

"It looks good on you," Bova praised. "You should show it to your mother, bet she'll be proud."

Danhauser chuckled. " _Maaaybe_ that's not a good idea, big guy."

"Let me see," Valerie never waited for his approval, she grabbed his arm and slowly lifted it, making Belial gasp loudly. She noticed Tobio wincing from her side. It was understandable, this is the first time that the brunet had seen something like this.

But for her? It was Tuesday.

"C-Careful…! It stings!" Danhauser said with a laugh that could wake the neighbors up, instinctively grabbing her shoulder with his other hand.

"Think you can heal it?" Siegfried asked, glaring the injury. "After all, you have the Holy Grail."

Finally, Sae saw a small glimpse of a crimson. She muffled her disturb. "Holy…!"

"I warned you," Tobio rolled his eyes, letting Jin turn into its dog form.

Valerie just kept staring at the arm, mostly the red liquid oozing from the gash, she gulped as a wave of thirst suddenly hit her. Danhauser laughing brought her back to her senses. "Y-Yes I can."

"…" Siegfried scowled, but remained silent, watching how a yellow glow surrounded Danhauser's arm and the skin regenerated at a slow pace.

"What's wrong with you?" Bova asked the gray youth with a head tilt. "Does it tickle when they touch your wounds? Or you're a masochist?"

Danhauser laughed even louder.

"He's just nervous," Valerie responded for Belial, finally taking her hands off his arm and pressing them against his abdomen, resuming her healing.

His chortles disappeared right away, awkwardly standing there with eyes not daring to look beneath him, he accidentally clashed stares with Tobio and a blushing Sae.

Slash Dog glanced between the crouching Dhampir and him, before smirking and shooting him a wink with a thumbs-up.

Danhauser felt his nose twitch and snorted. "You're so _damn_ childish, grow up, would you?" He growled out, his cheeks somewhat warm.

Tobio chuckled much to Danhauser's displeasure, "Of course, boss, _of course..._ "

"Done." Valerie finally stood up, looking at Danhauser with a nod. "Do you have any other wounds I could take care of?"

"Uh, no, thanks," Danhauser drawled, looking away from her red eyes. "You did great, thank you."

He turned to Siegfried, massaging his Adam's apple. "Report?"

The silver-haired scratched his head in return. "We've won the battle, but the hostages and the destroyed Utsusemi disappeared in a white light."

Bova grunted. "Hm. You made these guys sound threatening and that made my blood boil with excitement," he grumpily said, arms folded, "But they were weak. Bova _not_ happy."

"Is fighting the only thing you care about?" Tobio blurted out.

"Yes."

Danhauser pursed his lips, "That explains why the park looks empty, unlucky." He massaged his temple. "At least we have someone who can fill some holes." He gestured at the knocked-out Kazuhisa.

"Something is something," The Japanese sulked, feeling Sae's hand rubbing his back comfortably.

"Why didn't he escape, too?" Valerie inquired, tapping her chin. "Shouldn't he also flee with that odd light?"

"He should have…" Siegfried concurred, humming. "Perhaps he accidentally dropped an object that allowed him to retreat when he was on the run?"

"We could ask him when he wakes up," Danhauser proposed, picking the man up.

Sae faced Tobio, concerned. "Must be hard for you, Tobi, knowing that the person behind all this is someone from the Himejima."

Tobio clenched his fists. "Hanezu is a madman. Taking him out will clean the good name of humans everywhere."

"Good to know," Bova grunted, "I was nibbling my nails over the prospect of society not loving humans."

The King finally spoke. "Just as Siegfried said, we've won the battle, but not the war, more reinforcements are coming, perhaps stronger than before now that they know we are a threat. Be ready."

"I'm more than ready," Slash Dog cracked his knuckles. "I know we can do this, boss, we are damn strong and I haven't used my secret technique yet. They won't see it coming!"

Danhauser smiled at his words. "Let's hit the bed, team."

* * *

 **Since I didn't PM'ed anybody, I'll respond both Guests and Fanfictioners here, sorry.  
**

 **Necrogod- Thank you!**

 **Rosat- Yeah, all I can say to anybody who's reading this is and shares the same sentiments as you is that I'm sorry, it sounded way better in my head to be honest. I will not, however, apologize for my slow updates. Since it may happen more than once more, I have a life, too. Thanks for the criticism.**

 **Guest- Thanks.**

 **desdelor97- Thank you!**

 **reader- We will see. Thank you!**

 **Specter Hellschythe- Thank you!**

 **Salazar - Thank you!**

 **merendinoemiliano- You're about to write a story, eh? With Siegfried nonetheless? All I can do is wish you the best of luck! Thank you!**

 **Six Foot Assasin- Let's see this in a good light. You could use my fanfic as bedtime story! Kids would immediately fall asleep from boredom! It's a win-win, yeah? Out of cringy jokes,** ** **I apologize and** thanks for the criticism.**

 **CC- Danny-boy? Huh, I _really_ like that nickname, maybe I'll use it, hopefully you don't mind. Yeah, Danhauser needed a female under his ranks, like now. Haha! Sometimes I think those who are reading around chapter 3 or 4 think this fanfic is a slash, which is not, but oh well. Thank you.**

 **edgolub2 - Since Danhauser made an scene in chapter one, this fanfic was about to be AU. Yes the Dhampir is going to Belial Territory. Either way, just like I've answered to Rosat, I apologize for dissapointing you, I won't apologize on my update time, though. I don't want it to sound like a fake apology when there's a huge chance I'll take my time on updating the next chapter. Thank you for your criticism.**

 **Gabriel790 - Thank you!**

 **killerfox116- Hello! Thank you for your kind words! I get what you mean by not liking the Rudiger's scene. Don't worry, Danhauser won't tell anyone about his dark secret, this I vow. About Cleria's destiny, tsk, tsk. A writer never spoil their readers. You'll have to wait like everyone does. Hehe. Thank you!**

* * *

 **Here we are. Slash/Dog canon. From what I've read, it isn't too long, but since Danhauser recruited Tobio, he's also passing through this mess, he needs to pay the consequences, so there it is.**

 **Also, sorry if the fight was easy for Danhauser, but let's be honest. He has been training a lot. The outcome was obvious. There are, however, characters that are far way dangerous.**

 **We're slowly approaching DxD canon, I think.**

 **Noticing the reviews, I can see that a lot of people are liking Cleria, lol.**

 **Also, about Jin, since Slash/Dog is making a REDUX. The dog's appareance changed, followed by the main cast of Slash/Dog, too. Jin practically looks like _Poochyena_ from Pokemon now, or you can search on the wikia for the dog's appareance. Just saying this so you guys can picture Jin far easier. **

**You can read it, its on baka-tsuki, I think Illustrations are there, too. Just don't expect it to be light-hearted as DxD.**

 **Happy-late-Christmas and Happy-late-New Year, everyone.  
**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Witches' Night.  
**


	16. Witches' Night

**Chapter 16: Witches' Night.**

* * *

Danhauser didn't even know why he was watching it. He didn't burst into laughter when he was supposed to, he didn't feel any pressure during the drama, he didn't get the picture of the plot. He just sat in a sea of stray popcorn and with a bowl of them until his fingers brushed the bottom, much to his disappointment.

He felt a nudge on his ribs, looking on his left to face an arm extended full of popcorns. "Want more?" Someone offered, shaking the bowl.

Danhauser's eyes moved a little upward, it was obviously Diehauser, his eyes glued to the screen. "Thank you," He took a stack and tossed them inside his container contently.

"So," Diehauser started, throwing some popcorn inside his mouth. "What's about this Utsusemi Agency again?"

Then he remembered what he was doing here. Today was the day his Peerage won against the small army of Utsusemi. It was around bedtime obviously, to make sure no bystanders were wandering around during the fight. Once victory laid on their grasp, Danhauser took Kazuhisa Doumon as their hostage, for many reasons, information and who knows? Maybe negotiations could be achieved if Hanezu Himejima is interested in saving his partner in crime, which Danhauser highly doubts.

When Danhauser returned to the Underworld with his teammates, he was honestly shocked when the one to answer the door wasn't Gilles de Rais, but his master, Diehauser Belial, waiting for him to come back home once more since the moon was already out for so long, their mother began to worry. Lord Belial convinced her to hit the bed while he waited for him to knock on the entrance.

Honestly. Danhauser was relieved that the one who was awake was Diehauser and not Calcabrina, his brother is pretty much chill, unlike his mother who is a literal inferno when agitated.

In the end, his Peerage and Valerie Tepes went to their separate rooms with Bova Tannin spreading his wings and flying as fast as he could to Dragon's Mountain. Leaving Danhauser with his brother and an unconscious Kazuhisa tied to a chair not far away from them in the living room.

"A bunch of human terrorists kidnapping adolescents to obtain Sacred Gears that are known as The Four Fiends," Danhauser explained briefly, returning to the magic box just to uncover that in his brief distraction the commercials had begun.

Diehauser still kept his gray orbs on the flashing announcements. "Huh," He said after gulping the crushed food. "And you fought them, why?"

"They were going after one of my Peerage Members."

"The Dhampir?" Diehauser asked.

Danhauser shook his head. "No, my Mutated Knight, Tobio Ikuse." He responded, catching Diehauser's attention. "They attacked the Ryoukouu Highschool when the students went on vacations on a cruise." He paused. "Also, Valerie isn't part of my Peerage."

Diehauser frowned and licked his cheek. "So, this Agency are the ones behind the Luxury Case."

Danhauser merely hummed as he tapped out the corn crumbs into his palm and threw his head back to inhale them. "The Highschool is named after the town, which interestingly enough, the town is not so far away from Kuoh." That alarmed The Emperor. "Since a few students were absent at the voyage to Hawaii, some of them survived the attack, but they're sending their Utsusemi to scout for them."

"… You think they're after Kuoh, too?" Diehauser grasped the remote from the small table and switched channels.

"Right now, they have three objectives." Danhauser raised a single finger. "Capture the survivors." He lifted the second one. "Build their army." He stretched the last digit. "And complete the Four Fiends Project." He lowered his hand. "Don't be too shocked when they stop by to steal a few girls to increase their numbers."

The Champion's frown deepened, turning off the television as nothing appealing appeared. He sank on the cough with a groan. "I need to inform the Great King Zekram Bael and warn our cousin, she's in danger."

"You think Zekram is going to listen?" Danhauser asked dryly, glaring at his own reflection from the black screen.

"Let's face it. He doesn't care about Cleria, like us," Diehauser responded, tapping his temple with the remote control. "But I've seen a chart of where most of the Contracts are made around the world, Kuoh stands at the Top Five and you know how these contracts are a _huge_ benefactor for the Underworld." He bit his cheek and shot a look at the senseless terrorist. "This is troublesome. There's a small chance that they'll come back to Ryoukouu Town, but stronger this time."

Danhauser sighed heavily. "I know…"

"… Why are they building an army anyway?"

"Because they want to attack the Five Principal Clans," Danhauser replied with a wave of his hand. "With the army of Utsusemi and the Four Fiends at their side, victory will be theirs."

"I'm baffled that you'd gathered data about them," Diehauser turned to his silent brother. "You really did something traumatic to make him spill the beans. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad one."

"I did whatever was possible," Danhauser simply answered.

Diehauser stared for a while, before breaking into a smile and ruffled his hair. "Mom will be _so_ freaked out when she finds out about your small adventure." He saw his troubled expression, chuckling he continued. "I have to say, I'm not only glad you made it in one piece back home, but you lead your Peerage good enough to defeat a terrorist group."

Danhauser scratched his cheek. "It was nothing, really. Anyone could have done what I did and ten times better."

"An adult? Without a doubt." He squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. "But someone around your age? It's an amazing feat that can't be ignored so easily."

Danhauser smiled timidly and massaged his shoulder. "Thank you."

Diehauser stood up and walked where Kazuhisa was. "Either way, I'll be taking the terrorist with Gilles," He said after cutting the rope with ease and lifting the human up his shoulder. "While you go to sleep and prepare for school tomorrow."

"Hear, hear," Danhauser saluted and slowly hopped from the sofa.

"Good night," Nothing else to add, Diehauser went to the exit.

"Wait!" Danhauser exclaimed, freezing The Champion. "Can you do me a favor and not tell mom about this, please?"

Diehauser blinked, twice. "Ha. No." he snorted and left the room.

"…" Danhauser deadpanned, "Huh. Okay then, go and tell her." He folded his arms. "Hopefully she would also love to know her _oldest son_ made an _earthquake_ in Lucifuge Territory!"

…

The door cracked open as Diehauser's head poked out. "Your secret is safe, little brother."

The Heir sent a quick wink. "Same here, big brother, same here."

* * *

The Seven Great Pillars.

Council of Seven.

Lords of Ars Goetia.

Those are the befitting titles for the people gathered in here, they are the ruling bodies of the Ars Goetia's government, each one of them carrying a role to benefit their kin, like Diehauser Belial adding new and updating laws as the Head Senator or such as Sirzechs Lucifer who's in charge of Domestic Affairs. Or perhaps a greater position as the Governor of the 72 Pillars, like Lord Bael.

When Diehauser Belial stepped into these halls the first time, it sent a chill down his spine, mostly for what his father told him about the function of such location.

Diehauser sighed as he sat along with the Four Great Satans and Lord Bael on the horseshoe table made of the finest stone and engraved with many runes.

"Hmmm..." Pink Satan hummed her TV show's song. "I wonder why are we here...?" She pouted. "I was watching my show, no fair, no fair! I wanna go home, now!"

"Please calm down, Maou Leviathan," Diehauser said with a casual look. "Great King Zekram called us here, as soon as we address the concern, we'll leave immediately."

"... _Fiiineee!"_ Serafall puckered her lips angrily, shaping circles on the table before beaming at the Emperor. "Oh! Oh! Oh! By the way! I'm glad your little brother is alive! Say hello me pretty please cherry on top~!"

"Agree, I think I can speak from the remaining Satans that we are also pleased about your brother's return, Emperor Belial." Sirzechs offered his contagious smile. "Tell him hello from our part."

Diehauser found himself chuckling. "I will. When Great King Zekram founds a solution, I'll make sure to tell him."

Sirzechs' smile fell off. "Whatever it is, I hope it isn't what I have in mind right now," Crimson Satan rambled his fingers on the table. "Great King caught me by surprise when he'd delivered the message unexpectedly."

"I would stop thinking that way," Falbium suggested after yawning, lying his cheek over his fist. "I'm mostly annoyed than concerned, couldn't we just schedule this meeting for another day? I was in the middle of my nap!"

"For the first time, I agree with you," Ajuka's eye jerked, eyeing each seat carefully. "This place hasn't been used for a long time now, it better be something important."

Lord Bael rolled his eyes. "Be patient you four! Just as Emperor Belial said, Great King Zekram wouldn't invoke all of you if this wasn't relevant for Ars Goetia! He's also an occupied man doing his best to protect the remaining Pillars, in case you four didn't know." He proudly puffed his chest. "Admirable Devil, if I say so myself!"

"Oooh _yes_ , I bet he is," Ajuka muttered, earning a hard elbow from fake Lucifer.

Unfortunately, Magdaran's father heard him, glaring. "What's that supposed to mean, Maou Beelzebub?"

Expectedly, the heavy doors swung open and everyone immediately stood up when a strong aura of greatness punched the whole room, no one spoke and no one moved. Just listening to the cold steps of Lord Bael's ancestor approaching.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen," Zekram Bael himself welcomed everyone. "I am glad almost everyone made it here."

After Zekram took a seat, everyone followed soon after, with Lord Bael sending one last warning look at Ajuka.

His ancestor's previous words repeated inside his head. He frowned. "Almost?"

Zekram sent him a side-glance. "We're going to have an interesting guest joining us." He explained, passing a hand through his black hair. "Someone that lives outside the walls of Ars Goetia."

His descendant's frown deepened. "With due respect, Great King, but why is someone that has nothing to do with our government coming here?"

"Actually, why are we here in the first place? This room is mostly used in case a war starts. There's not a war that I'm aware of," Sirzechs spoke for the Maous. "… Or is there?"

"Thankfully, we're not in a conflict," Zekram assured the assembly. "We're here for a shocking message that Emperor Belial has delivered to me, personally." All eyes jumped at the gray-haired man. "As for why the eight guests are coming… it is because he's probably trapped in the same hole as us."

"Who would that man be?" Serafall tapped her chin with a head tilt.

Zekram shrugged nonchalantly. "Mephisto Pheles."

Diehauser arched an eyebrow. "Why is Grauzauberer's Chairman coming here?"

"He hasn't told me yet. He prefers to spread his knowledge to the Council personally, as well as scavenge for information." A slight chuckle left his lips. "A fair warning for each one of you. From start to finish, I have known Mephisto Pheles like the corners of the Underworld. Beware of his sharp tongue and ferocious temperament, just don't let his harsh words get to you."

The Emperor winced slightly. He knew a little of Mephisto Pheles, credit goes to Rudiger, Tannin and his single Bishop, and the description of him wasn't so good per say…

"Don't worry, Great King Bael," Lord Bael said with a strong nod. "I'll make sure Mephisto Pheles feels welcomed."

Suddenly the tall doors slowly swung open.

"Speaking of the Devil…" Zekram heaved a sigh, as his eyes pursued the floating throne. "Long time no see, Mephisto Pheles."

Lord Bael stood up. "Ah, you must be Grauzauberer's chairman." He dusted his attire and moved onward, offering a hand. "Speaking on the behalf of Ars Goetia, it pleases us to have such famous Devil here—!"

"Get back to your seat, you donkey." Mephisto flew past him, "Like I need to hear all the crap you use to brainwash your people."

"I warned you…" The First Bael muttered as the guest made it to the table. "I see you haven't changed, Mephisto Pheles."

"Same thing for you, Zekram," Mephisto shot back.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"That was _not_ a compliment."

Lord Bael's gaze sharpened. "You _bastard_...!" He spat in disgust. "Show respect whenever you're in territory that—!"

"I heard that one of you has important information about the tragic case of the Luxury Liner," Mephisto's heterochromatic eyes fixated over Asmodeus who was… snoring now. "He's asleep."

"Shocking," Ajuka rolled his eyes.

"NNNN!" Serafall puffed her cheeks and glared at Falbium.

Sirzechs chuckled nervously. "I apologize for his lazy nature, I'll wake him up."

The Director sneered. "Forget it. I'm just here for the information. When I'm done, I can finally leave this freak show as soon as possible."

"Emperor Belial has everything you need to know," Zekram remarked, looked over his shoulder. "Lord Bael, would you come take your seat? You've been standing there for a long time. No one's coming now."

Sairaorg's father just glared at the gigantic entrance, rapidly massaging his nose. "…Of course, Great King."

The blue-red haired geezer turned to Diehauser. "Well? What are you waiting for?"

The Champion inhaled and stood up. "As you wish, Mephisto Pheles."

* * *

"That is all," Diehauser Belial formally dropped to his chair.

For the tenth time, Mephisto hummed and massaged his chin. "Utsusemi Agency…"

"They could attack other towns such as Kuoh for the sake of building an army," Sirzechs Lucifer observed with a scowl.

"And leave a powerful scar on the Underworld if the people of Kuoh Town are captured," Ajuka Beelzebub added. "Kuoh Town is one of the places where contracts occur the most."

Serafall Leviathan gazed over the Emperor. "Are any of these Utsusemi any kind of Youkai?"

He shook his head. "No. He told me that they were mostly lizards, a black lion and the students."

Sirzechs turned to the female Maou. "You think there's a chance that the Youkai are also involved in this nest of snakes?"

She nodded. "All this is transpiring in Japan. The Five Great Families are the Agency's main target, they kidnap people to install those Avatar-Sacred Gears, why wouldn't they capture a few Youkais?"

"Maybe because they don't have a vendetta against High Priestess Yasaka?" Ajuka responded. "While it's true that having someone with mastery over Senjutsu and Youjutsu under your ranks is handy, their purpose is to attack the Five Families by locating these Four Fiends, without making too many enemies. Attacking Kyoto just to have a few Nekomatas would be an unwise decision."

"High Priestess Yasaka is an enemy of the Five Clans." Lord Bael reminded them, scoffing. "She won't lift a finger as long as they don't threaten her people. She'll just be in her little temple whilst _'praising the sun.'_ "

Ajuka curved an eyebrow. "Should we worry that she may join them?"

"If rumors are truthful," Diehauser started. "High Priestess Yasaka isn't interested in war nor becoming a terrorist. Her main focus is to keep balance over Kyoto."

"Whatever happens, I'll make sure to stop it," Mephisto broke from his inner world. "I won't sit around and let a bunch of morons abduct and experiment innocent people for selfish reasons. I thank you for stopping the terrorist, Emperor Belial, you wouldn't mind if I send Tannin to your territory to take that donkey off your shoulders?"

"Go for it," Diehauser accepted. "But it wasn't me who fought against the Agency, it was my brother, who also secured the information."

"Wait a second," Zekram slowly pronounced. "Your young brother? The fifteen-year-old that came back from the grave, who hasn't participated in any Rating Games and is attending to school?"

"Yes."

"Unbelievable," Mephisto gasped with eyes growing wide, growling. "You donkey, you sent a child to fight off someone who had the chance of killing him or turn him into an abomination?"

Diehauser, by remote reason, found Mephisto's face punchable. He stood up with a fierce look. "My brother fought back for the sake of defending one of his Peerage members, a friend of his, protect another town and our cousin! I would kindly thank you if next time you wouldn't say something like that, Mephisto Pheles."

Sirzechs jumped out of his seat, hands raised. "We're getting out of hand here… remember what the Great King said, Emperor Belial."

Zekram slapped the table and snickered. "I can't believe it! A kid with _zero_ experience in the arts of war has done this?" He smirked slightly, shaking his head in amusement.

"Something in your mind, Great King?"

"Hmm? Oh, don't worry, Lord Bael… don't worry…"

Mephisto, however, hasn't looked away from Diehauser's warning look. "… I would also like to speak with your brother about important matters, then."

"Why would I let you?" Diehauser growled back. "You have all the information I gave you already, this isn't Danhauser's issue anymore."

"Because Kuoh Town is in danger," Mephisto replied piercingly. "Your cousin is there, isn't she? The people here don't give a single fuck about her and the residents. I do, so do you and your brother. I want to help."

Sirzechs scowled. "That's not true, Director. I would love to help in many ways as I can, we, the Satans vowed that Devilkin will not be harmed by outside forces, we'll make sure to keep that promise as our first priority."

"Beautiful speech, but that will not happen, Lucifer," Zekram stole a glance over his wristwatch. "Luckily, school has ended—you can give company to both Lord Bael and Emperor Belial as they go to pick the teens, Mephisto."

The Champion turned sharply to the Elder, aghast. "You wouldn't be suggesting that my brother's going to join this war?"

"I concur with Emperor Belial, Great King," Sirzechs' scowl deepened. "We could send a professional to take care of this task."

Zekram smiled amusingly. "Or we can strengthen this generation, but don't worry, I have a mission for... Leviathan." He analyzed each Satan. "To begin with, wake him up."

Falbium felt a sharp slap behind his head, yawning, he sent a cold gaze at the culprit. "Unnecessary, Beelzebub."

Ajuka shrugged.

"I hope you had pleasant dreams, Asmodeus," Zekram nodded at him, adjusting his tie and gesturing at the only female. "Leviathan, get prepared for a small adventure. You're going to speak with the leader of Kyoto."

Serafall's eyes widened in hope. "Are we going to build an alliance?"

"I'm afraid not," Zekram shattered her longing. "We, Devils, are not interested in allying ourselves with the Youkai Faction. I want them out of this. When you're done with it, keep a keen eye on her."

Serafall, however, wasn't convinced. "Why not set up an accord? We have a similar enemy. With Grauzauberer, Ars Goetia and Kyoto we can defeat them!"

Great King sighed whilst interlocking his fingers. "High Priestess Yasaka _is_ the problem." He announced, looking back at the puzzled raven-haired. "That's why she was chosen to become the Leader of Kyoto, she'll put her people above anything else. Yasaka isn't affected by this Agency as Beelzebub had theorized, she'll demand something in return." He planted both palms on the table. "She wants something that we have, take a guess."

"Kuoh," Diehauser whispered.

"Correct," Zekram hummed unpleasantly. "Kuoh Town has always been one of her priorities, but she hasn't lifted a finger yet, mostly because a Devil and a group of Exorcists are gathered in there. She's mischevious and patient. Kuoh Town won't lay on her hands, no matter what."

Mephisto scoffed, "What makes you think you'll have that place in your hands forever, Zekram?" His glare deepened. "You're going to ruin it. You're not different from your race."

" _Our_ race, Mephisto," Great King corrected him. "Stop acting as if you were not a Devil, you look foolish."

The red-blue-haired devil grunted indignantly.

"Let's focus on the main course, we'd wasted a lot of time now," He addressed the Emperor. "You told me that your brother, Danhauser Belial, wants permission to use True Form, correct?" That caught everyone's attention.

"… You're—!"

"I suppose he already knows the requisites." Zekram interrupted him. "He needs to prove that he's worthy to have one, both mentally and physically. Let's see how he handles this situation," He turned to Mephisto. "Danhauser Belial and his Peerage will be the one supporting your cause, Mephisto."

"… Aren't all of you supposed to decide this by voting?" The red-blue-eyed devil chortled dryly. " _Right_. I remember, _Zekram Bael_ , the man who speaks for the Elders and acts as a tie-breaker in votes amongst other members, as long as they benefit the Elders and the Bael Clan then everything is fine, _hmm_?"

Mephisto Pheles spun around and floated away on his throne.

"Harsh," Ajuka commented almost amusingly, eliciting nods from the Maous.

Diehauser stayed silent, fists clenched. "You two should leave, too." Zekram's voice rang in his ears. "School is over, go pick up your relatives."

"…" His legs felt like jelly, but shockingly, they'd approached the exit without any struggles at all. Every cell in his body burned like coal in an oven to the point that Lord Bael made sure to slide away.

* * *

"Aren't you annoying? How many times did you ask me for this senseless and stupid request?! The answer will be the same, now stop wasting my time and go away!"

"Sorry father, but I've trained for this moment. I won't back down, let me challenge my half-brother, for the title as Heir of Bael."

Danhauser just watched Lord Bael massaging his knitted brows, "You're not even a _Bael_ from blood! Those who do not inherit Power of Destruction are not considered a Bael." He growled out. "In the perspective of _my_ Clan, you're _Sairaorg Vapula_ and nothing more. Now, be patient and wait for your mother to pick you up. I have had enough of you."

He knew sooner or later, Sairaorg was going to make his demand as rightful Heir of the Great King, what he didn't expect is a crowd of curious children and parents to watch the scene unfold before them, and add to the mix Diehauser Belial, Magdaran Bael and _Mephisto Pheles_ —who was sitting on a floating chair—at one's elbow of Sairaorg's father, the three carrying different weights of confusion and shock.

To his surprise, Rias wasn't here, perhaps her parents were earlier than expected?

He was just standing there next to a bewildered Ravel Phenex. Her deep blue eyes running away from the scene. "W-What's happening…?"

He heard her mumbling. "Sairaorg wants to reclaim his title as next Head of Bael," He responded, "The only way to prove himself worthy is with a fight."

The blonde girl gasped slightly. "B-but he doesn't have Power of Destruction, his half-brother does!" She hushed.

"… We'll just have to see how it ends."

"Then how about a bet?" Sairaorg gambled, folding his arms. "My Pawn for my rights."

Danhauser's eyes stretched out. "…Oh."

Ravel turned to him, head tilted. "What's wrong?"

"Just keep watching."

The girl pouted, yanking his sleeve a little. "Tell me!"

Danhauser squeezed her cheek in return. "Watch."

"Owowow! _Fine!_ "

Lord Bael snorted. "I'm baffled you have a servant, but why would I want your Pawn?"

"Because its one of the thirteen Longinus, Regulus Nemea."

…

Even if Danhauser knew who the pawn was, he couldn't lull the wave of shock hitting him like a train on fire. He wasn't the only one overwhelmed by the expression of ultimate surprise, the gasps, and whispers from the audience is a nod to his statement.

Just as the announcement escaped Sairaorg's tongue, a horde of Devils instantly dropped to the black-haired youth, their sweaty fingers grasping as many Pawn pieces as they could, fake smiles drawn on their faces along with fictitious promises.

"Pathetic," He heard Mephisto Pheles spat on the floor. "The sight almost makes me drink holy water."

Danhauser chuckled at his statement, glancing at the paralyzed girl, whose eyes are wide as a blue whale's grin then back at the quieter Sairaorg.

"ENOUGH!" Lord Bael roared, frightening off the group of greediness. He faced his scorned son. "… Impressive. Of all things in the world, you taming the Nemean Lion isn't one of them, this isn't something that you can just refer to as luck…" He chuckled humorlessly. "Who are you now? The Lion King?"

Sairaorg frowned. "… Do you accept or not?"

His response was when his father pushing Magdaran forward. "You know what to do, Magdaran. Show him the pride of a _true_ Bael."

The boy blinked unexpectedly, his violet eyes slowly clashing with Sairaorg's whose gaze softened.

Sairaorg smiled. "Best wishes and may the best wins, little brother." He raised both fists and select a stance. "You can attack first if you—!"

He couldn't finish when a ball of demonic energy smashed on his face, sending Sairaorg tumbling bonelessly on the ground, steam obscuring his face.

"Oh, shit…!" Danhauser even felt the spell hit him, the goosebumps traveling across his muscles every time his eyes fell off over Sairaorg's body.

"Is… is…!" He heard her muffled voice shaking. "… a-alright?"

Danhauser laid a hand on her golden hair and tried to comfort her, his eyes only concentrated on the shocked Magdaran.

"Good job," Lord Bael congratulated his son, gesturing at the unconscious Sairaorg. "Go make sure he's alright."

Magdaran wasted no time and rushed, but stopped halfway when Sairaorg's feet twitched. "W-what…?"

"You have a good aim, little brother." Sairaorg moaned out, slowly picking himself up. "But you lacked power in that attack, are you holding back? You shouldn't, your right as an Heir is at stake."

Danhauser and everyone else took a peek at his face, wincing and looking away, just by looking at it made his insides curdle like milk and lemon, but felt mouth shifting into a smirk. "This fight is already over."

"Good fight, little brother," Sairaorg dashed forward and swinging his tight fist, too quick and potent, into Magdaran's defined jaw.

Danhauser was entranced by the purple energy that was wrapped on Sairaorg's fist, it wasn't demonic power, even less Power of Destruction.

 _"Touki,"_ Danhauser looked upward, following the figure slowly getting ready to meet the floor.

If it wasn't for the fatherly instincts kicking in, Lord Bael would have missed catching his knocked son. He shook Magdaran lightly, whose eyes are rolled back. He glared at Sairaorg. "Y-You…!"

Someone squeezed his shoulder, he looked at the owner, and his face fell slightly. "You remind me of a coffee machine, you know? From bean to cup you fucked up." Mephisto grunted. "Now the wisest decision is for you to make like a tree and fuck off, your child needs help."

Lord Bael glared in return and walked with his youngest spawn between his arms.

Diehauser stepped in and addressed the silent crowd. "Everyone, please, I would ask each one of you to leave."

As the people slowly began walking away while the whispers just increased, Danhauser and Ravel moved beside Sairaorg. "I can't believe you took demonic power to the face and kept fighting."

Sairaorg watched his father's back fading away, he sighed and shook his head, a faint smile painted on his face. "I am not carrying a mirror with me, could you two tell me how bad is it?"

"Ummm…" Ravel trailed off, looking away. "It's…"

Danhauser patted his back, chuckling. "Damn, Sairaorg! You look like someone lit a fire on your face and put it out with a pitchfork! Just wear a mask and no one will ever notice."

Ravel covered her mouth. "D-Danhauser! T-That wasn't—!"

"…Ahahahaha-owow!" Sairaorg hissed, not daring to touch his cheek. "Don't make me laugh, Danhauser! Damn it, I feel like my face is melting!" He almost facepalmed. "Mom is going to be _so_ angry." He nodded at the girl. "You wouldn't be carrying a Phoenix Tear with you?"

Ravel shook her head sadly.

"Why don't you leave the scar?" Danhauser suggested with a wink. "I heard from somewhere that girls find men with scars attractive."

The black-haired youth smirked. "Mind you, most of those girls are Undines." His hand shifted above his hips, shaking his head. "Look, I wish I could talk more… but I have a lot of things to do now. One of them is making sure my little brother is alright."

"Unlucky, this is our last day in school." Danhauser pocketed his hands with a sigh.

"So?" Bael frowned. "Just because we're no longer going to school for a few months doesn't mean we can't see each other." He paused, rubbing his neck and kicking the dust. "I'm not good with these things but… thank you, okay? For everything. Whenever you want to pay me a visit, we can play together, train together and… yeah."

"Same thing for you, Sairaorg. Also, call me Dan, congratulations on your victory and welcome to the Heir Club." Danhauser raised one fist awkwardly.

"…" Sairaorg stared the balled fist and smirked once again, returning the gesture. "Until next time, Dan."

Danhauser looked away from the retreating teenager when someone tugged his sleeve. "Something wrong, Ravel?"

The blonde brushed one of her drills. "I…I have to leave, too. Big brother Riser must be worried."

"It's dangerous to walk alone, want me to take you to him?"

"D-don't worry, I'll be fine, but…" She shuffled shyly, her arms held behind her back.

He understood, he ignored the two adults approaching. "Don't think like that. I'll visit you whenever I have the chance, okay?"

"… Can I visit you, too?" She asked with a downward look.

He shrugged with a smile. "Of course you can, don't hesitate."

The girl looked up and beamed as a pink tint pecked her cheeks. "See you soon then, Dan!"

Danhauser curved a knowing eyebrow. "Hey, you finally called me by my—!" His train of thoughts stopped when a sudden body pressed in, soft and warm with arms wrapping around his waist.

It just lasted seconds when a blur of gold vanished from sight, leaving the gray youth perplexed on the spot.

Danhauser tensed when a familiar hand laid atop his head, chased by a small chuckle. "Am I missing something?"

"Ha! You have a cute girlfriend there, boy!" Mephisto coughed a laugh, slapping his knee. "Better keep an eye out on her!"

Danhauser groaned quietly, eliciting another round of chuckles. "Dear Maou…" He facepalmed to hide his warm face. "I doubt you two are here to tease me…"

"Unfortunately, you're correct," Diehauser responded merrily. "School is over, I'm taking you back home and Mephisto Pheles has a few questions about your fight against the terrorist."

"If you don't mind, of course," The blue-haired old bag said.

 _"So it has begun..."_ Danhauser pursed his lips and carefully nodded. "You have somewhere to talk?"

* * *

"Let me start by congratulating your courage and victory, Danhauser," Mephisto Pheles said behind a table, fingers intertwined. "I'm pretty sure it must be tough for someone around your age to pass through a horrible event like that one."

"I won't lie, I was nervous," Danhauser admitted after dropping on his seat with a hesitant chuckle. "But I couldn't do it without my Peerage, if it wasn't for them, I would perhaps be another puppet for them."

"It's normal to be nervous, don't feel bad, boy," The old geezer afforded a small smile, but it quickly faded off. "Is it true you fought them without your family's acknowledgment?"

The Heir averted his gaze and massaged his shoulder. "I had it under control, that doesn't matter."

"... I see," He scowled, but shook his head. "Either way, I'm an old fart with a huge agenda, so I'll keep it brief. Do you have anything else about these terrorists?"

Danhauser sank slightly in his seat, gaze over his shoes. "I have the terrorist, Kazuhisa Doumon here in my family's manor—he could give you better answers than I could."

"True, but he could also give me fake information," The Director countered with a smile. "Of course I'll take him to Grauzauberer's headquarters and persuade him into spitting out the truth, but I prefer to search for a trustworthy intel first. Take your time."

Danhauser bit his thumb, arms folded, his head bobbing as flashbacks of the previous night appeared over his vision. "I know that they use animals to build up some of their Utsusemi…"

"Some of them?"

"Yeah, when my Knights cut the Lizards Utsusemi, they always dropped a weird black substance…" He explained. "When I fought the Black Lion, it bled. _Real blood_. Either it was an incomplete version or was another method to build them."

The old geezer hummed in thought. "Interesting… I think I know who could be behind all this mess… anything else?"

Belial massaged both sides of his head, teeth clenched. "… He… he said something about a stupid witch…"

Mephisto Pheles inhaled sharply. "Whenever they use the word 'witch' is's either an old hag with tons of cats or another synonym for Stray Magician…" He dug his nails into the table. "In this case, I dare to say that this Agency is working with an old hag that became a Stray Magician…" He pinched his temple with a growl. "Unfortunately, I may know who's this stupid woman."

"… Who?"

He met Mephisto's heterochromatic eyes, "… She's a former member of the Magician Council and perhaps still goes by her _Magical Motto_ … _Mater Ozma_ , her real name is _Augusta_ Headmistress of the now banned Magical Association _Wizards of Oz._ "

"…Ah?" Danhauser blurted out. He knows canon, and he remembers his mother reading him about the Wizard of Oz, but that name never _ever_ was present in the Light Novels. His brain should be toasted now, but thankfully, the headmistress' name rang a lot of bells.

 _"After all, that woman was the first possessor of Incinerate Anthem, then Walburga must be involved, too... right?"_ He recalled, turning to the thoughtful Mephisto Pheles. "You think they're the ones behind this?"

The elder's nose twitched. "Absolutely. I kicked Augusta from the Council for breaking the rules, she caused prohibited experiments to both humans and animals alike." He chuckled darkly. "Funnily enough, the _Ozites_ followed her steps, kept their lips sealed and paid the consequences."

"So the Wizards of Oz are working with the Utsusemi Agency in designing Avatar-Type Sacred Gears." Danhauser surmised with a click of his tongue. "That's so unlucky."

Mephisto Pheles grunted and massaged his face. "Indeed it is."

Softly kneading his knees in circles, the teenager nodded at the Chairman. "Alright then, what's the plan?"

"…" The geezer stared for what it felt like an eternity, Danhauser's words paralyzing his senses. "What makes you think you're getting involved into this?"

Danhauser felt his brow twitch. "Why not? I think I've proved myself."

"It's not that," He saw Mephisto's sharp gaze undertoning. "You're still a boy, you don't have to fight terrorists, you've done more than enough. Go take a rest with your friends."

"I appreciate your words, Director, but they're after my Knight and a friend of his, regardless of it, I'm on this tangled web as much as you and Grauzauberer are." He stared at his rolling wrist. "I made a promise to my Knight and an important person in my life that I'll save those kids."

The blue-red-eyed Devil's lips turned into a thin line as he digested the teenager's words. "… You'll have to speak to your family about this." He snapped his fingers and a flyer landed on the table. "Use this to contact me if you're in. If so, I'll send someone from my organization to fight the Utsusemi Agency and the Wizards of Oz." He stayed quiet for a while. "Whoever I'm going to send perhaps may or may not come with an ally that is not from Grauzauberer…"

 _"Outside forces…"_ Danhauser kept the neutral look, this is Slash/Dog's plot now, but, it ended in a single Volume since the author wasn't selling a lot, putting it to an end. Until then, the plot here is even unknown to him, he knows the main characters and antagonists, what he doesn't know is what's next after volume one?

 _"Only time will tell,"_ He took a deep breath. "Great," Belial stood up and brushed his pants. "Then I guess there's nothing else to talk about?"

"Actually, yes," The elder said, surprising Danhauser. "It doesn't involve the Agency or the Wizards of Oz, this is off-topic."

Danhauser eyed warily the blue-red haired's posture, slowly crossing his arms. "…Yes?"

"What's the problem with you and Rudiger Rosenkreutz."

Danhauser suddenly straightened himself, his heart almost leaping. "…. W-what do you mean?"

Mephisto Pheles never broke eye contact, merely laying back in his chair. "As the Chairman of the Magical Council, it's my duty to analyze problems revolving the active Magical Associations. The _Paters_ and _Maters_ always doing their half by sending me a brief update, let it be verbally or written. To my surprise, I found out that Pater R.R.C. sent me one urgently to officially forbid _Danhauser Belial_ to Rosenkreutzer." He moved his elbows above the table, a serious glint shunned from those eyes. "Rudiger loves children and he would grant pardon anything they had done to him since they're innocent creatures, you shockingly seem to be the exception."

"…"

"I'll ask again. What's the glaring issue between you and Rudiger?"

"… I talked to him and we've decided not seeing one another," Danhauser responded with clenched teeth. "No offense, but this problem is between us, not you. If it was affecting the Magical Council then I would understand, but it doesn't. The past is the past, let's concentrate on the future."

Danhauser almost forgot how to breath when those bored, heavily mismatched eyes studied him. His face impassive but tilted back a little so he's literally looking down at Belial. "…Be careful out there, Danhauser." And with that, he made an unnatural turn to the left that allowed his gaze never to meet his, summons a magical circle and disappears in a bright light.

Danhauser sank in his warm seat, quickly swatting a hand through his hair as his heart once again produced blood. "Fuck me," he breathed out while massaging his nose. "I need to speak with my brother."

With that thought in mind, he hopped off the chair and pushed the doors open.

* * *

"This is amazing!" Cleria squealed and clapped loudly enough to draw glares from passing people. "I can't believe this is happening at all! My two favorites dorks with me in Kuoh Town!" She spared a nearby window a quick, anxious glance, seeing nothing threatening made her sigh with relief. " _Phew!_ For a second I thought the sky was falling, too!"

"Cleria, you're making a scene," Diehauser chided her, silently apologizing to nearby humans. "And we're not dorks."

"Yeah," Danhauser sided with his brother, carrying multiple shopping bags in both hands. "This is not the first time that this happens, it's embarrassing."

She laid a hand on her chest, scoffing. "Making a scene? Well, _excuuuse_ _me_ Mr. I love-showing-off-my-abs!" She pointed accusingly at his clothes. "Literally, how are you not freezing?!"

"I have a coat," The Emperor gestured at his attire. "Plus its summer, there's no cold in this season."

Cleria stared deadpanly.

"Uncle Malacoda even calls you Mr. Fanservice," Danhauser added.

"What? Can't I wear my favorite clothes now?" Diehauser said, miffed. "I just like what I'm wearing, alright?"

"Huh _-huh_ ," She grinned and wiggled her eyebrows, poking the Emperor. "Or _maaaybeee_ there's a _sexy_ woman you want to flirt with ~?"

"This conversation is over, " Diehauser slapped her finger with an eye roll, both brother and cousin shared a laugh. "By the way, Dan got hugged by a girl."

Danhauser tensed and gasped, glaring at the taller figure. "You traitor!"

Diehauser said nothing, but Danhauser swore to see a victorious smirk flashed his lips.

 _"Asshole,"_ Danhauser felt an arm wrap around him, jerking him closer. He sighed and braced himself for the incoming wave.

"Ooh _la la!_ " Cleria trilled, fanning herself. "My Danny is finally dating someone~? What's the name of the lucky girl~?" She pouted when no answer came. "Hey! You shouldn't leave a dazzling woman hanging in silence, you know?"

"I'm not falling to your wretched schemes, you vile woman."

"Hmph!" Cleria crossed both arms over her chest. "You guys are no fun!" Her smile emerged. "But I love you two nonetheless."

"We love you too, Cleria," Diehauser beamed a little, "Can we take a seat? We need to talk about something important."

Their cousin grinned and brought them closer to her. "Let's go then, boys!"

It hadn't taken too long for the three Belial to find a perfect place to take a rest and discuss what's on both Diehauser's and Danhauser's minds.

Sitting in the middle was Cleria Belial who suddenly brought a hand to her mouth and yawned. "Sorry, work's been killing me a lot."

"I feel you," Diehauser said after he'd dropped beside her, getting infected by Cleria's tiredness and yawning as well. "Today was different than before, actually."

"Hmmm?" She just curved her eyebrow.

"Remember what you told me about finding security for Kuoh Academy?" Danhauser spoke after rubbing his eyes.

"Yeah, I remember." She said and gasped after Diehauser formed a barrier around them. "Is something wrong?"

"We know who're the terrorists," Danhauser continued, catching her cousin's attention. "Utsusemi Agency, those are the ones behind the Luxury Case."

"They're also working with Stray Magicians, Wizards of Oz," Diehauser added.

Cleria's mouth hung open the whole time. "I'm sorry, but _holy_ shit." She massaged both sides of her head. "It's amazing you found out about this, but how?"

Diehauser nodded to her right side. "Danhauser fought one of the terrorists named Kazuhisa Doumon, he made the man spill the beans."

"You WHAT?!" If it wasn't for the barrier, the people meandering around would jump at the scream. "Did you fought a terrorist?!"

"Uh, yeah," Danhauser flinched at her glare, scratching his neck whilst smiling nervously. "I won, too."

"… You understand you could have died there, right?"

"I didn't have any other option," Danhauser countered. "They were after my Knight, sooner or later, I would have to fight them off."

"He's right, Cleria," Diehauser moved a hand on her shoulder. "I'll send Gilles to put some magic seals around the school, the route you always use and your house, I also want you to take a flyer of either mine, my peerage, or Dan."

She pursed her lips, fists clenched. "I… see." She massaged her aching head. "What's going to happen now?"

"… I'm going to fight them with the help of Mephisto Pheles." Danhauser replied carefully.

Cleria chuckled dryly, facepalming. "That's supposed to be a terrible joke, right?"

"…"

"What baffles me more is that you're not as angry and concerned as I am," Cleria shot a side-glance at the Emperor. "Meaning that you're letting him go there, yeah?"

"I'm worried too, Cleria!" The Champion groaned out, pocketing his hands and watching the clouds. "I tried to reason with him, even offered one of my Peerage Members to help him out, but…"

"They don't know about you guys, they're after me, not my family." Danhauser finished for the Champion. "Plus, Zekram told Diehauser if I proved my worthiness he may grant me permission to have True Form."

"… No matter what, you still want to get stronger, huh?" Cleria murmured to herself.

Danhauser flinched at her disappointed tone, but even then, he couldn't step away anymore, he made a vow that shares a similar road with his goal. To get stronger, to save those children Tobio and make his mother proud.

 _"There's going to be people disagreeing with my ideas,"_ Danhauser sucked a sigh. _"But I can't stop, not anymore. I'm so sorry, Cleria."_

Cleria turned to Diehauser with a pleading look. "Can't you speak this with the Senators, Diehauser?"

"You're confusing the Council with the Senators," Diehauser observed. "The Council is to discuss battle plans if somehow a war emerges, political crisis and essential issues that threaten the Pillars must vote on what course of action needs to be taken." He warded off his gaze. "Yes, sure, politics also plays an important role in the Council's discussions, but bonds and grudges are often built or destroyed in full view of the other members, that's how the Council of Seven works."

Cleria slouched on the bench. "... Uncle Coda always said... Even if something is white, once the Great King says it's black, then it becomes black."

The three quieted down after that, each one of them finding a good excuse to not clash gazes, either by staring at the distance, humming a song or find refugee on their mind, the youngest of the three stealing constant glances at the quieter female.

"… If you die, I'll kill you!" Cleria finally growled out.

Danhauser curved a brow. "Of course," He then turned to Diehauser. "If I'm in trouble, I'll call you, big brother."

"You better be," The Emperor said sternly before smiling. "Now that everything's done, why we don't go distract ourselves with something else? The night's young after all."

"Great idea!" Cleria was the first one to stand up as Diehauser dispelled the barrier. "Let's go to my house and play something! I bought awesome games, we'll have a lot of fun, boys!"

"Look at what you did," Danhauser chuckled as he picked up the shopping bags. "She's once again hyped."

"Do you regret it?" Diehauser asked with a knowing smile.

His brother returned the expression. "Nope. Not at all."

* * *

An ominous boom followed by a muffled scream startled Danhauser out of his sweet dreams. "Fuck!" He quickly jumped out of his blankets away and pulled out the spear beneath his bed, rushing at the doors.

Danhauer breathed in and out as he glanced at both sides of the hall. "Are we getting attacked?!" A kick from the door in front of him was the only answer he got. After noticing the three arms and silver hair, Belial calmed down slightly.

"Master! Did you hear—!"

The yell once again came, this time from Valerie's room.

"Wake up Tobio," said Danhauser as he ran to the Dhampir's room.

"Roger!" Siegfried just ran in the opposite direction.

Danhauser always made sure to knock and wait for the owner's permission, not today. He kicked down the door and moved inside.

Her hands were hiding her face and her body was bathed in a cold sweat. The sheets were twisted around her limbs.

"Where?!" Danhauser looked everywhere, even inside the closet to see if the enemy was hiding.

"Everywhere!" she cried out, not moving from the bed. "They're everywhere!"

Danhauser blinked as another flash of lightning illuminated the room. Valerie let out a frightened cry and buried her face into her pillow.

"We're here!" Siegfried moved inside with Tobio and Jin, the latter barking threateningly at the wall. He lowered his swords slightly. "There's nothing in here…"

"Is he invisible?" Tobio muttered, closing the closet and sending a worried look at the dog. "What's wrong with you, little guy?"

The gray youth's gaze jumped from the dog to the wall. "… They're seeing something we can't."

"So, invisible dude?" Tobio repeated, pointing his sword at the wall, soon joined by the former Exorcist.

"… Or spirits." Danhauser drawled, dropping his spear. "Both Valerie and Jin are perceiving the dead."

The silver-haired looked over his shoulder. "… What do we do then, Master?"

"Unless you want to call the Ghostbusters..." Danhauser grunted as another flash of lightning blinded the room. "… We'll just wait for them to leave. There's nothing we can do here."

They were obligated to. They'd kept sending warning glares at the wall, using Jin as their ghost radar. To Danhauser's surprise, he thought that the spirits would act something like the American movies he'd watched in his previous life, throwing stuff in the air, giggling like a child or possessing a body, maybe they were lucky to crash with an easy-going ghost.

Jin stopped barking.

"…They're gone," She swallowed and once again turned to see her surroundings, hugging her pillow tightly.

Everyone lowered their stances carefully.

"So, what the hell happened?" The brunet questioned, sheathing his sword. "Is this the Agency's doing? Or boss' ancestors are playing pranks now?"

Siegfried folded his arms. "Her Sacred Gear, it allows the user to tap the other world and speak those that have died long ago. She's the Jailer of the Dead."

"Oh, crap."

"Are you alright?" Danhauser asked, carefully taking a step closer.

Her cheeks were wet, she nodded numbly. The remnants of her experience still clung to her mind, haunting her. "…Yes, I apologize for any troubles."

"It's fine," Danhauser assured her. "Can you sleep?"

"I guess, but," She nibbled on her pillow. "… What if they come back? And start attacking me again…? I-I don't want to be alone with them..."

Danhauser stared at her, then behind his shoulder, before looking at the suddenly interesting closet, rubbing his neck. "…Want me to, uh, keep company?"

He ignored Tobio's faint chuckle, fixated only on the girl who stayed silent for a while, her eyes prowling anywhere but the three boys, either because of embarrassment, shame, or distrust.

The girl finally met his gaze. "If... if that's what you desire..."

There was no way Danhauser could say no to those eyes. "Of course, I'll just go fetch a pillow and a blanket, I'll be sleeping on the floor, so don't worry."

Tobio dreamily sighed. "Master, truly _extraordinary_ gentleman you are," he gushed. "Can you also make sure I don't get any nightmares?"

Danhauser glared daggers and left the room.

Siegfried whacked Tobio's head, stopping him from laughing. "Tobio, you know Master doesn't approve of those type of jokes."

The Japanese rubbed his head and glowered. "That's the point."

The silver-haired boy rolled his eyes. "Let's leave," he nodded briefly at the Dhampir and walked away.

"Get better," Tobio said his part and left with his pet.

* * *

He tossed and turned but just couldn't find the right position. A lingering haze of sleep sat somewhere at the back of his mind but was too far away to reach, floating in the pool of his memories.

The pillows were fluffed, the temperature in the bedroom was perfect, but Danhauser couldn't fall into darkness, he groaned quietly and sat up, rubbing his eyes. The worst part is that he couldn't hum a sound, that would wake her up, he couldn't leave because he promised to stay here.

So, he just moved his pillow on a wall, laid back on it and stared at the bare ceiling, wincing whenever a brilliant shock of vast white graphited the sky, forking noiselessly to the ground—the thunderous roar always crying its warning too late.

Unbeknownst to him, he wasn't the only one awake. "Can't sleep either, I fear?"

He sharply turned to the owner of the melodic voice, he took a deep breath and turned his face aside. "Not at all, unlucky."

"I'm sorry," Valerie apologized.

"Don't give me that face, I told you it was fine, didn't I?" Danhauser waved off her apology. "Don't worry, if I were in your shoes, I would shit myself, good thing I always wear brown pants, eh?"

Valerie gave a dim smile before distracting herself by tracing circles on her pillow when silence took a comfortable seat between them.

"You're afraid of spirits, aren't you?" Danhauser broke the silence, freezing her tracks.

"… I wasn't back then," Valerie answered with hesitance. "… The thought of ghost hadn't crossed my mind, either. That was until I discovered I could speak to those that left this world."

"Yeah…" Danhauser trailed off, bitting his cheek, he patted his knees for a while. After a few minutes, he turned back to her. "Hey, can I ask you a question?"

The Dhampir frowned. "… If you must."

"Remember, how long ago, we'd walked in Kuoh Town with my cousin?"

She tilted her head and eyed the roof accusingly, nodding. "Yes, I do."

"Well, you were surprisingly calm back then." He saw her eyebrow jump. "I mean, I don't need to ask about your background to know how horrible it was, your last name, gender, and race were a giveaway."

"Get on with it."

Danhauser pinched the bridge of his nose. "That day you were so… _calm_ , I expected you to be a trembling mess or at least hold grudge against the males, or the Devilkin, after all, Vampires and Devils are not so different per say… weren't you afraid that we could harm you…?"

Valerie chuckled bitterly. "You are _very cute_ to ask _so_ many questions _."_

"And you're _very cute_ when you're evading." Danhauser shot back.

"Oh my. You think?" She gasped behind her hand. "Then _maybe_ we should be wrapped in bows and adorned by flowers, so cute are we two."

Danhauser ignored her small laugh and met those dark, red orbs, admiring her beautiful short hair loose. He was starting to grow worried that he may have triggered some unpleasant memories.

The blonde girl broke eye contact and peeked on the floor. "I knew that you wouldn't hurt me. Why would you _damage_ the object that is an essential piece to the pinnacle of evolution?"

"…What?" He blinked unexpectedly. _"Did she just called herself instrument?"_

"As long as I obeyed the Tepes Faction would not harm me. If I was damaged by any means, then their progress would slow down critically." Valerie explained. "I _am_ the Sephiroth Graal. Even when they hated to admit it, they knew I was one of the most important people within their territory, even more, valuable than my father, the fools just won't voice it out."

"They could extract your Sacred Gear and kill you then, you know?" Danhauser countered.

"Those were their first plans, but when they saw the fatal flaws such as slowly getting damaged from soul and heart, they'd used me as their guinea pig, slowly letting me rot in my dungeon." She sighed and inspected her nails. "Devils are not different, why would they hurt me or kill me when I have a Longinus that needs me in a stable state? Just like my father had told me, I needed to adapt."

"You could have run away from the Tepes Castle," Danhauser remarked. "Why stay there when you could find a better place?"

Her eyes widened slightly, slowly sitting in the corner of her bed, glaring down at her pale hands. "… My best friend had uttered the same words… he offered me a new life, to see things that were beyond my reach, but I knew it was foolish and refused his proposal, shattering his small heart, but I made sure to help him out in return…"

"You had a chance to start from zero, Valerie," Danhauser muttered. "Your whole childhood behind the bars. All this time sitting alone in one place and do nothing. What did you do?"

"It all depended on my mood," Valerie smiled sardonically. "On good days, I posed riddles to the adventurers, offering them treasures in exchange for correct answers."

Danhauser rolled his eyes."Wow, sarcasm. That's original."

She shot him a cold look. "They have werewolves that are _stronger_ , _faster_ , and _deadlier_ than you'd seen in any place, plus Romania is famously known because of Vampire Hunters intruding in Carmilla or Tepes Territory. I would've died the moment I stepped outside. All I could do is adapt. Adapt to live my life in the dungeon, until your Uncle appeared, that is." Her gaze glazed as she turned to the window. "… I-I told him it would work, but he couldn't resist anymore… I pray he's still alive…"

Danhauser said nothing and just examined her distant look. He knew who she was speaking about, and just by seeing her expression made his heart twist, he could contact the Gremory heiress and convince her to let Gasper Vladi visit her or the other way around.

 _"Just do the right thing..."_ Danhauser repeated. _"That's what mother would do in my situation."_

"In the end," Valerie resumed loudly, lying on her pillow once again. "Absence of adaptability...is the absence of survivability. Like father says, survival is not based on who is the strongest or the smartest. It comes down to who can adapt. Favorably, I'm an adaptable Grail."

 _"A weird way of thinking, but it does make sense..."_ Danhauser made sure to sew his mouth. " _Given the situation I'm in..."_ He massaged his eyes and shrugged at her. "I see."

Since none of them parted their lips and shared any experiences or brought another topic, they turned to the window as the sky shot another bolt of lightning. Danhauser and Valerie didn't even try to close their eyes and hope to fall asleep in a haste, they weren't tired after what had happened a few hours ago.

"Now's my turn to ask you something," Valerie said, sinking her cheek deeper into the pillow. "What do you think about me?"

Danhauser took a decent time to analyze her words, his eyes widening slightly. "Why are you asking me that?"

"You're weird," Valerie pointed out.

He rolled his eyes. "Thank you!"

"You know I have mixed blood, yet you haven't shown any signs of disgust at all," She continued. "Why? It is because I'm the Sephiroth Graal, isn't it?"

He didn't know why, but her tone, the way she was looking at him, and her defensive stance behind her pillow told him many things, none of them were positive views. _"Is she challenging me?"_

He blew air from his nose, burying those thoughts from the time being. "What I think about you?" He bobbed his head, fingers interlocked. "I think you're someone that, shockingly, agrees with the Tepes Faction."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "What?"

"The Tepes Faction saw you as an instrument, as their Holy Grail whose purpose is to obey and serve, from the little interaction we had, you also see yourself as such."

"But I am," Valerie affirmed. "Everyone knows me as Sephiroth Graal."

"Your best friend does not," Danhauser opposed. "Neither do I nor my Peerage. To me you're Valerie Tepes, someone who received a revelation never destined, a prophecy that had to be yours, but you never wanted divinity."

"…"

"You're also the girl who had helped me back then, I won't forget that day, you know? So if you want to talk, uh, whatever you want, then sure, I'm available whenever you want, just... don't expect me to be so _sociable_ … but I will be all ears."

"Interesting perspective," Valerie murmured, shifting around her bed and shutting her eyes. "Goodnight, Mr. Belial."

The Heir blinked. _"Huh, the first time she calls me by something."_ He held back a chuckle and dropped once more to the floor, wrapping himself tightly in his blanket.

* * *

Midnight falls like a blanket of black, swallowing up the day, draining the colors to grey and then to nothingness, time fell to the ground as fast as shapeless rain. Around a week at most is what Danhauser remembers, and it was always the same. Walk the street in the night, guard duty as Siegfried preferred to call it, maybe because it brought memories when he'd worked for the Orthodox Church.

Danhauser shook his head and kept walking and searching around for any signs of Utsusemi or a teenager with movements that resemble the undead. It was boring, he won't deny that, but their lives are at the stake here. His Peerage, Bova Tannin, and Valerie Tepes declared war the moment Danhauser took Kazuhisa Doumon as their hostage. Thankfully, he has the assistance of Mephisto Pheles and along the way, Grauzauberer.

"Man," Tobio Ikuse yawned and stretched out, his light-gray eyes wandering lazily. "We're going to do this forever?"

"Of course we are," Siegfried replied, hand atop his sword's pommel. "These are Master's orders, we need to obey them, plus we're doing it to keep this town safe."

"I know, I know," Tobio raised his hands in defense. "Don't you think we could, put some demonic seals or something like that to cover more space?"

"I've already done that," Danhauser announced. "Long ago, actually. When they activate, I'll feel a chill in my arms."

"Alright you won this one, boss," He yawned once again. "Damn, I should drink coffee from now on then."

"You should," Belial encouraged, "It's delicious, you won't regret it." He nodded at the silent Dhampir. "How's Japan for you? Liking it?"

Valerie smiled a little. "Yes, I do, but the sun is kind of aggravating."

"You'll get used to it," Tobio ensured her. "When I was a reincarnated as a Devil, I also passed through the same stages, just give it time."

"I'm not a Reincarnated Devil," The Romanian girl pointed out.

"Oh."

"How about you, Siegfried?" Danhauser quickly turned to his Knight.

"An unusual culture if you ask me," The silver-haired commented. "I still don't understand why they draw the anime girls with ample bosoms. I find that sort of drawing off-putting."

The Japanese chuckled, scratching his neck. "Well, they need to find a good way to _snare_ the audience."

The Hero descendant scowled in disagreement. "If the plot is engaging then they don't need to captivate the public in a cheap way."

"That's the plot," responded Danhauser with a sardonic smirk. "Without it, the story wouldn't bounce forward."

Tobio snorted but smirked. "Hah, I see what you did there."

The former exorcist rolled his eyes. "We should stop discussing that," He gestured at the only female. "Remember we have a young maiden in our party now."

Valerie blinked. "Hmm?" She turned to them, eyes widening slightly. "Oh! Don't mind me, you three keep interacting, who I am to judge your fetishes?" A wry smile grew on her face. "After all, even _I_ have interest in the art of passion. Ehehehehe…"

Danhauser raised an eyebrow but remained silent.

"That laugh, though," The Japanese boy said under his breath.

"I don't," Siegfried said sharply, turning to the King. "Where's Bova? Wasn't he supposed to be stuck here with us?"

"Tannin told me he's taking care of the little dragons and eggs," Danhauser replied with a shrug.

"Is he going to join the team?" Tobio asked, making sure Jin is beside him. "He's been with us for a long time now, I wouldn't be surprised, plus he's a dragon."

"Bova told his father, he wants to speak with me in his territory," He groaned slightly. "Bova's brothers are against it, though."

"Damn, only the future will tell us," Slash Dog grunted, facing the light-blonde girl. "How about you?"

Valerie tensed, she turned to Danhauser, figuring out he was also listening. "I…I don't know, remember what your brother had said back then, Mr. Belial. I may have to leave the manor just to keep your family safe."

"True that," The Heir nodded with a weak sigh, rubbing his neck awkwardly. "But… if you were to stay. Would you… you know, uh, join?"

Her shoulder jumped slightly, slender fingers pressed into the skin of her pale forearms. She never thought of it at all, she was focused on adapting to the Devil Territory than thinking ahead, stupid from her part, but as time went on, she had the chance to interact with all of them, they're fine people, but that could also be a mask so she could lower her defensiveness.

She had planned to take advantage of leaving when the brother of Danhauser decided to take her out of his territory, thus perhaps trying to find her best friend, Gasper Vladi and rescue him. He has a power that frightened even Vampires, but such power is not stable, he would be killed on the spot or captured by someone for evil reasons.

She took a long breath, facing Danhauser. "I'm afraid I—!"

At first glance, everyone would have sworn that Jin was suddenly barking to a flock of birds flying by, given the temperature, it was the most likely a migration, But Jin wasn't a mere dog at all, it was a Fake God and a smart one. Everyone pulled their weapons out and tried to find the enemy from the skies.

"Where are they?!" Siegfried kept looking around avidly.

"I thought you said you put some demonic spells, boss!" Tobio shouted behind his shoulder.

"I did!" Danhauser assured him, sweat wetting his temple. "… Maybe they disabled them? They do have Stray Magicians on their side, after all!"

 **"Hyaahahaha!"** A feminine voice cackled from somewhere. **"Yes! Yes! YES! _Bat!_ As a reward, I'll turn you into dust!"**

Danhauser's eyes jumped wide when something warm and holy approached them from behind.

Their King didn't even need to tell them to run, their instincts already did, but the enormous explosion of purple gave them a lift and propelled them away, Danhauser along with another blurred person smashed up against a building's window while his arms and legs were flailing, searching for somewhere to hold and stop them forward.

His movements were halted when his back crashed against a large shelve, finally dropping to the ground with food and drink resources landing atop of him.

Danhauser rolled out, hissing quietly. "D-damn, that fucking hurt," He rasped, slowly pulling himself off the floor, bitting his lips when his palms felt the shattered glass digging his skin, the only sound that filled his where the thousands of shards of glass getting crushed.

He shyly looked outside the building, the shrilling and deafening alarms erupting from the parked cars. Smoke and purple fire rushed out like a wall, not letting Belial look any further, but he had seen it, it was as though a fist of purple flame had settled to punch its way out of the main street and take a vast bite.

He sharply looked behind his shoulder when a can of tuna had rolled toward his heel, then peeked up at the three-armed figure holding himself on a not decent looking shelve. "You… you don't look great, Master."

Danhauser scoffed, moving closer. "You look like you left the shower, how're you feeling?"

Siegfried's Twice Critical waved the dust away. He spat on the floor. "I've been through worse," he breathed out. "I can still give them a fight."

Before he could push the conversation forward, Danhauser sewed his mouth and tapped his earlobe. "You hear that?"

His Knight frowned and followed the sound, glancing up the ceiling.

That was when Danhauser's gut ordered him to tilt his head, almost dodging a sharp icicle that came from the smoke.

He didn't think twice. "Behind the counter! Now!" Danhauser ordered, his Knight already in there while Belial vaulted inside just in time to dodge a shootout of ice.

"Shit!" Danhauser cursed, teeth clenched. "They're behind the smoke! Can you see them?!"

Siegfried took the risk to peek slightly, immediately yanking his head just in time to dodge another dagger of ice. "I can't!"

Danhauser cursed, trying to take a look, only to suffer the same consequences. He punched the floor and glared the ceiling. "Hey, smart-ass. Nice shot. Now show yourself."

They now mixed lightning on their attacks.

"That wasn't a wise decision, Master," Siegfried scolded him.

 **[Boss!]** He heard Tobio in his head, Danhauser quickly maneuvering his finger in his eardrum. **[We're getting attacked by ice! Are you two alright?!]**

"For now!" Danhauser raised his voice, he could hear Jin barking threateningly at their enemy from Tobio's side. "You three are all good?"

 **[Yes, yes we are.]** Valerie responded calmly. **[We are behind a counter.** **Hmm. I wonder how many holes we'd have in our body if those icicles impaled us.]**

 **[Could you not?]** Tobio said, miffed.

"We needed to find shelter, too," Siegfried joined the conversation, scowling. "Can you two see how many of them are outside?"

 **[We tried,]** Valerie answered after a brief pause. **[But the wall of smoke is impeding us, plus their never-ending attacks are making this almost impossible.]**

 **[Couldn't they just finish us with the same fire technique?]** Tobio mumbled. **[I mean that attack was _huge_. Before Valerie, Jin and I were tossed into the building, I saw how it left a hole in the street!]**

"Maybe that's what they have in mind," Siegfried grunted. "Perhaps the attack takes a lot to recharge, that could explain why they're keeping us locked inside the store."

"I don't think so," Danhauser looked up, seeing blue, transparent blurs shattering against the wall. "Those were _purple flames_ , I know a Sacred Gear that has the same type of fire…"

 **[Incinerate Anthem.]** The blonde girl gasped slightly. **[One of the three Holy Relics and a Longinus to top it off.]**

 **[Holy shit.]** The brunet gasped.

"Three Longinus-Tier in a _single_ town?!" Siegfried almost exploded. "This is not something you see on a daily basis!"

"The sacred gear channels holy fire that could give an Ultimate-Class Devil a run out of their money," Danhauser explained. "And guess what? We're Shit-Class Devil. Except for Valerie, she's a Dhampir, but, she'll die like us anyway."

 **[Your optimistic words brought me hope, Mr. Belial.]** Valerie said with a drop of amusement.

 **[Then why they don't use the Longinus to finish us?]** Tobio questioned. **[I mean, I don't want to die! But still, this is stupid!]**

"Like a cat playing with their prey," Siegfried noted with a sneer, fists clenched. "The Longinus user is literally _toying_ with us!"

"Good," Danhauser snickered quietly. "Gives us more time to make a plan."

 **[Throughout this conversation, a question popped my mind. What would it feel to be burned alive?]** The Dhampir voiced her thoughts.

 **[Okay, what the hell?]** Tobio blurted out. **[Don't say things like that, damn it! I don't need to imagine those—!]**

After that, Danhauser lost interest in the conversation and brought a hand in his pocket, pulling out a cellphone which screen was totally shattered, even then, he tried turning it on. "Damn, must have been destroyed when I was sent flying, I also had Mephisto's flyer there, it must be burned to crisps now." He tried to invoke a magic circle around his ear, but nothing. _"The whole town must be trapped in a barrier that disables communication to outside forces, I can't contact Diehauser. They had planned this for so long, unlucky."_

He felt someone shaking his shoulder. "Master, what's the plan?"

Danhauser clicked his tongue and flicked his fingers constantly, looking anywhere in attempts to find a solution. _"Since they're launching us with lightning and ice, I suppose the barrier's—if there's one, to begin with—purpose is to prevent for calling help, that affects them, too? We can also use our abilities, too… right?"_

Just to make sure, Danhauser engulfed his fist into demonic energy, success was his answer. _"Right. Good, I can."_ He sighed in relief. _"They're still not taking us seriously, maybe if Bova was here... Alright then, I guess I have an idea, risky one, but it could work…"_

Danhauser slowly brought a hand to his ear, harrumphing. "Alright, team, this is what we're gonna do now."

* * *

 **Danhauser Belial Peerage.  
**

 **King- Danhauser Belial**

 **Crocodile**

 **Queen - Unknown**

 ** **Spider****

 **Pony**

 ** **Swan****

 **Dog**

 **Eagle**

 **Bat**

 **Perhaps List:**

 **Bighorn Sheep.**

 **Octopus.**

 **First of all. No, not Crocodile from One Piece, I'm speaking about the animal.**

 **Big List? I know. I don't care tbh.**

 **People are always sending me PM's about Dan's peerage, asking me to say who's in the Peerage, I said, nah, but then I was hmmm?**

 **So I'll use this, this is what I used to form Danhauser's Peerage since chapter one, each member** **symbolizes an animal, a color too, heck, even a country, stones, and a flower. But I won't put it because people will eventually find out easier.  
**

 **You can see that I didn't put what Piece belongs to each one of them, except the Queen, since the latter I don't even know.**

 **Beware, Dan may or may not have a Queen in the future. I'll just say this now, because I can sense the people immediately suggesting anime big titties waifu characters from other franchises as a Queen, please don't.**

 **If he'll have a Queen it'll be from DxD, this is, however, doubtable, since like I previously said, I don't know who to reincarnate as a Queen, maybe it'll be one of the Perhaps List.**

 **Or maybe he will have one. I have in mind Mil-Tan, Matsuda and Motohoma, I bet they can make Indra and Shiva shake in fear.**

 **In case if people are going to throw in a few candidates. Just don't, really. I've seen stories falling because they let their readers build the whole Peerage/Harems for them. This story is already shit, let's not make it worse, please.**

 **Anyways, back to the Peerage thingy, obviously, I'll give you hints.**

 **1- All of them are CANON Characters, even those from the Perhaps List, some of them are underrated characters. None of them belongs to another franchise, some of them are going to have an appearance akin to another anime character, just to make the reader's mind easier to picture.**

 **2- They're not in order, (King, Queen, Rook, etc...), some of them may be, cuz I was lazy swapping the places.**

 **3- Most of them are going to appear until DxD Canon starts or around it, not in Slash/Dog canon.**

 **4- There's only one Pawn.**

 **5 - The animals they symbolize could be because their names/surnames have a meaning, has a noticeable trait akin to that animal, attitude, background, Sacred Gears/Weapon, fighting style, their Evil Piece, etc...**

 **6- Two of them are Longinus (You know who they are), two of them are not.**

 **7-** **1000000000000066600000000000001.**

 **That's all, is it difficult? I hope it is. That's the point.**

 **You don't have to really do this, you can just ignore it and wait patiently until each character appears. I'm not pointing a gun at you. If you decide to do so, well then, good luck, don't expect me to tell you if you're correct or not, I'll just respond with a Perhaps, maybe or something else.**

 **Also, ignore the Octopus, trust me, you won't guess who's this one, funnily enough, he's mentioned in canon, but still, you won't find out, no matter what.**

 **And no, I won't tell you either, because of one: HUGE SPOILER.**

 **Two: He may not appear and I'll ignore completely his existence, so whenever I update the Peerage list, don't be surprised if Octopus is out of the Perhaps List (this is unlikely, however)  
**

 **Also, Tiamat is not going to be part of Danhauser's group. Thank you for clearing my mind and sorry for those who wanted Tiamat. Cheers.**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Spiritual Energy.  
**


	17. Calm Before the Storm

**Chapter 17:** ** **Calm Before the Storm.****

* * *

"Questions?" Danhauser Belial winced whenever another icicle crashed into the wall. "None? Good, let's get started."

Siegfried nodded and dropped his weight to the floor, quickly crawling to the end of the store.

Danhauser exhaled. "Okay, okay, I can do this…" He breathed in and out, closing his eyes and covering his body with demonic energy. It was a weird experience, as warm as standing in front of the fire.

Even if Danhauser was enjoying the sensation, it quickly vanished in exchange for nothing, yet there was something wrapping around his whole body, he knew better than anyone.

He fluttered his eyes open. "It's show time," He jumped out of the counter and rushed to the wall of smoke, spear in hand.

"There he is!" Danhauser heard behind the smoke. Quickly, lightning and ice changing to another route.

But Danhauser never backed out—he just kept running and took the attacks head-on, smirking whenever the spells pigmented to gray and dissolved like ashes.

"W-What?!" The Stray Magician nearly shouted, augmenting the strength of his ability. "Our Magic… it can't touch him! R-retreat!"

"Now!" Danhauser called as he trespassed the wall of smoke with a fist cocked. He punched at the first hooded Magician he came face to face with, morphing his face from surprise to one of pain.

He gasped as his figure ripped through the cemented wall of a building, dispersing small chunks of stone skyward.

Danhauser dodged the dagger of ice and gripped their wrist, tightly. Letting his House trait wrap around the warlock's arm, he brought him closer and batted him away with the butt of his spear.

"Uff!" The mage tried to stop himself with a conjure, but nothing happened. His body felt empty, something was blocking his circuits, his cheek just met the floor and his consciousness met darkness.

The sounds of pain and swings coming not so far away, Danhauser peeked behind his shoulder, his eyes stretching slightly when a Magician froze like a statue.

Danhauser followed the Magician's gaze, spotting the tip of a sword poking from their chest.

The fresh corpse fell as the blade left, the Knight moving forward with an inquiring frown. "Master, where's Tobio and Valerie?"

The Heir never had the chance to respond, summoning his wings and shooting upwards to dodge the purple flames thrown by the Longinus User hovering above everyone.

"Tch," she clicked her tongue and waved more flames around her fingers. "Damn, you're fast." She smirked and fired a torrent of purple inferno at the Knight.

Siegfried grinned and with a lick of his lips, he became a blur to the weak eye, dodging the incoming attacks, much to the girl's dismay.

Landing on the roof, Danhauser spun his spear and focused on the witch up to the skies, completely distracted by the Knight.

The Heir spotted her hair adorned by various ribbons and the gothic clothes. "Walburga," The gray-haired blew Worthlessness' aura off from his body and quickly surveyed the area, scowling when no sight of them appeared. "Where are they?" He mumbled, but quickly shook his head and stretched his wings, bolting toward the biggest threat.

The girl growled. "Why won't you stop moving?!" She demanded while whacking lilac projectiles at the former Exorcist. _"He's fast, too…"_

Siegfried held a chuckle and found his master stalking the fumbling girl from behind, he tightly gripped his three swords and flew toward the Longinus User.

Walburga blinked as the Hero Descendant made it instantly in front of her, the tips of his weapons speeding at her form. The worst part is that something was coming behind her, too.

She smirked insolently. "… So I am!"

Danhauser winced when his spear smashed into something solid, a vibration coursing through his arms. _"What? Her barriers are that strong?"_

He wasn't the only one, Siegfried growled and slashed at her once again, only for his sword to bounce away.

"Hyahahaha!" Walburga cackled inside her barrier, offering a stained grin over her shoulder, ignoring the Knight's failed attempts. "Aren't you a sneaky little—WHAT THE HELL?!"

Danhauser disregarded her smugness and watched her barrier turning gray and shatter like plain grass, quickly reaching for her with a hand engulfed of Worthlessness.

"Burn!" Breaking from her short-lived shock, she invoked her flames around her, building herself some space as both Devils flew away from her cocoon-like creation.

Both King and Knight leaped back on the floor, glaring the vast ball of fire illuminating the dark sky.

"This will be challenging," Siegfried muttered beside him, glaring at his melted weapon. "Just by getting close I could feel my skin boiling, just imagine getting a mere burn on your finger." He tossed the handle away. "I dare to say that it may knock you out or even worse, end you."

Danhauser could only nod, _"My Clan Trait isn't going to work here against those flames."_

"Boss!" He heard a familiar voice, he looked behind his shoulder as Tobio, Jin, and Valerie stopped behind them. "What happened? We never received your order." He then looked up, whistling. "Whoa."

Danhauser curved an eyebrow, keeping an eye out for Walburga. "I did tell you guys to rush at them as Siegfried and I distracted them."

"Mr. Ikuse is right, Mr. Belial," Valerie sided with Tobio. "In fact, you left the channel from… what's its name again?" She pursed her lips, mentally groaning. "This thing." She gestured inside her ear.

"The earpiece," Siegfried responded, earning a thankful nod from her. He hummed. "I thought I was the only one who saw that disconnection, luckily I was right behind Master."

Danhauser blinked when all eyes lingered on him. "I swear, I don't even know how I left the transmission…" It took him a while, but it hit him, he slapped his forehead. "…I think I understand, I had engulfed my body in Worthlessness to nullify the Magician's spells back in the store…" He blushed slightly. "… I may _have_ forgotten that it could also affect objects…"

"Really," Tobio deadpanned.

"That tiny mistake could cost us a lot," Siegfried strongly pointed out. "Fortunately, we've trained for moments like this one."

"I'm sorry, okay?" Danhauser grunted, annoyed. "Look at the bright side, we finished off the Stray Magicians, now we are only against the boss."

"Ehehehehe…" Valerie giggled behind her hand.

 **"It took me an amount of time to discover which Clan you belonged to, _Belial_ ,"** Walburga's voice rang in their ears. Everyone sharply looking upward as her shelter of fire diminished. "As a former legal Magician, my duty was to know the cultures of multiples creatures, mostly the—!"

She quickly brought a hand in front of her, blocking all the demonic orbs. She flexed tiredly an eyebrow. "What? Didn't your rich family taught you to never interrupt someone, little bat?"

Valerie tapped her lower lip, studying their foe intently, mostly her purple, gothic garments. _"… I really like that dress."_

Danhauser clicked his tongue in return. "Don't hold back, but keep a safe distance from her, those flames are nothing to scoff at."

Siegfried snickered quietly and unsheathed an extra sword from his lower back, sinking into a low crouch and disappearing from sight.

Walburga narrowly parried his attack with another barrier, looking around whenever the silver blur hunted for her back, legs and even the neck, all swings ending with the same consequences.

She had stalled the Knight's strike once again. A wretched, taunting grin split the witch's lips as his three swords shivered at the compelling strength he was using. "If you think you can kill me with cheap weapons then think twice," she throatily crooned, pressing closer to his face.

Siegfried never looked away from her pink, challenging eyes. His Twice Critical flashed as he brought the sword over his head and growled when he brought it down.

The stray girl brought an arm atop her hair, blocking the hit, but to her surprise, her frail body quivered after the blow, her magic shield cracking slightly.

She gaped. _"H-How?!"_ Her heart skipped a beat when she spotted a figure behind her through the sword's reflection.

Walburga gritted her teeth and summoned fire pillars around her, buying herself space and taking off.

"Damn, I was so close," Danhauser whispered, sparing a scolding glance at his palm. He peeked up and rolled aside just in time to dodge a fireball. "She has sharp senses," He brought his hands up as lightning bolts rained at him, erasing them from existence. "Her Sacred Gear is going to be so damn irritating."

Nonetheless, he flapped his wings as he soared high toward a roof's building, summoned a dozen of demonic circles and launched his whole arsenal!

Spheres, lances, and even some of them were shaped like swords, they fired off faster than bullets from a machine gun.

Danhauser spared a glance behind his shoulder, patting himself on the back as his eyes fell over the twelve ripples he just made. His progress was slowly bearing fruits.

"Don't think so!" She exclaimed and pointed a finger in the air, handily molding a ring made of lilac fire, spinning it around, she shoved it directly at Danhauser's attack.

The outcome was obvious, the moment the bolts of demonic power clashed with the frisbee of holy fire, they burned from existence, Walburga's godly spell kept spinning onward.

Danhauser clicked his tongue, stretching his wings and lifting himself off the roof just in time for the spiral fire cut through the unfortunate edifice, he could literally feel the tips of the fire tickle his shoes, he spared a look over his shoulder, seeing the slashed half crumble in slow motion.

"Move!" Valerie sprouted her wings and took off, leaving the bemused Japanese boy behind.

He rapidly shook his head. "Shit!" Tobio increased his speed as the ring finally landed on earth, exploding and sending waves of holiness around a huge radius.

"Hyaahahaha!" The Gothic girl eyed the purple mushroom cloud with glee. "What's the matter, bats? Afraid of fire, eh?" With a finger's snap, she redirected the course of the approaching shadows and ceased Siegfried's blows, much to the latter's irritation.

She brought a hand to her temple. _"Hurry up you imbeciles!"_

 _"We're on our way, Soror Shien!"_ Came the hasty reply.

The former Exorcist charged once more, only to fail. "Damn it!" He cursed, speeding up his massacre over the girl's shelter. "If I had Gram, everything would be so different!"

Tobio clicked his tongue, bent his legs and brought his sword close, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. "What now?" He asked, eyebrow curved in both impatience and curiosity.

Valerie broke her grasp and pointed forward.

Frowning, the brunet followed her finger, eyes widening in horror. "Oh no…"

Countless of magic circles appeared from the sky, uncovering various figures in enshrouding robes, masking their genders perfectly. The worst part is that they also emerged from the ground, teenagers with blank stares and student uniforms, each one of them carrying a green lizard with a large tongue.

"Utsusemi," Danhauser breathed out, looking downward. "So it is true, the Utsusemi Agency is working with the Wizards of Oz…"

The laughter coming from the gothic terrorist brought him back. "… Wizards of Oz?" She trailed off when her chortles died down. Her eyes darkened. "No more! We burned that name long ago! We are the Walpurgis! THE HEXENNACHT!"

Danhauser nodded at Siegfried who returned the gesture, quickly swirling around and hunting the nearest Magician he could find in the air.

Meanwhile, the gray-haired boy invoked his demonic circles and fired to the distracted witch, only to be stopped by approaching Stray Magicians.

Danhauser eyed the three Magicians. "I suppose we can't sit down and sort this out?"

They smirked under their hoods, hands tweaked by magic.

He sighed. "Thought so. Unfortunate." Instincts triggering, Danhauser cocked his head to the side as the orange glimmer grew closer. Feeling its warmness kiss his neck and shoulder blade as it flew past him, he shortly took off and concentrated on his two opponents, only to spot them charging their next attack.

He lifted his hand to dismiss their weak spells with Worthlessness, watching as another stray Magician joined the fray, purple fire wrapped around her slender arms. He could see her pink eyes reflecting the holy flames.

When he saw her wicked grin, he finally understood. He brought a finger to his ear. "Siegfried, you're in charge while I give four Stray Magicians a tour of the town."

The heir of Belial ignored his servant's reproaching by spinning around and flying far away from his teammates, with four Magicians heartily joining the chase.

It's still nighttime, dark, the perfect night for a honeymoon, but they're coming. They're coming, Danhauser never looked behind, but he could hear the faint spells slowly shaping and the holy flames giggling quietly. He wouldn't have a problem fighting the Stray Magicians off, in fact, he believes he could finish them off easily. But when Walburga decided to tag herself in, that's when his plan directly jumped inside a dumpster.

His breath came in small spurts, hot and nervous. Soaring through the air and continually switching pattern as he evaded the lightning bolts and holy flames, now and then tucking in his wings. Getting practically safe from becoming ashes or earning clipped wings.

He rounded another building, the cold evening air shocking his throat and lungs as he inhaled deeper, _faster_. Behind him, he could hear the haunting cackle of Walburga and jeering laughter of her squad.

"I need space," He curled his sweaty fists and flapped his wings vigorously, roughly piercing through the air as he boosted his speed.

Finally, after building some distance, he spun around with his Demonic Gate of Babylon right behind him and fired.

Walburga had to squint her eyes to see the incoming missiles, she snickered and shook her head. "How many times you're going to repeat the same trick?" She murmured to herself while conjuring her barriers, the Walpurgis copying her movements.

Her smirk turned into a full-blown grin when the projectiles approached, but her ego shattered when the barrier vanished instantly. "What the—!" She was interrupted when a Stray Magician fell off with a pleading scream—she caught a small glimpse of his torso as he dived into a pool's house.

A gray seal.

Her eyes widened in realization. _"His Clan Trait!"_ She glared at her allies. "Don't let his attacks hit you, he can nullify our magic!"

Danhauser growled from his place, not stopping his firefight. "Damn, she found out so quickly and I just made it!"

Nonetheless, he never let that thought push him down. Fluttering his wings, he continued flying backward from his pursuers while shooting his demonic power. He also had to dodge to the side as the holy fire lunged after him or change the trajectory of his attacks to annul the other incoming spells.

Seeing the Devil not halting his tracks, Walburga heated and launched her purple flames against the weapons-shaped Worthlessness, sometimes just going up and down like a roller coaster to dodge them.

 _"He's different."_ She had been slaying Stray Devils and Pure-blooded ones since the day Mephisto Pheles exiled them, most of her fights ending in mere seconds, the gray one has lasted long enough for her tastes. "He's keeping his distance, color me impressed." Whenever Augusta sent her to hunt down Stray Devils it would be the same tale: taunt, flex their muscles, show-off all his powers from the beginning and get burned.

She doesn't mind, though.

"This one seems to have diversity," she noted as she incinerated another ball of Worthlessness. First, he went after her with a spear, which last time she'd heard from her Mater, Devils only stuck with their Clan Trait and Demonic Power because of pride. Then he'd attacked her with those glowing demonic ripples shaping in the empty air, all of them shooting constructs molded after weapons that left little to the imagination, now he mixed Worthlessness and that previous spell.

While most of his spells caught her off-guard, none of them were quite enough to match against the might of Incinerate Anthem.

 _"In the end, he'll burn like the rest,"_ Soror Shien signaled at the remaining Magicians. "After him! I've got a plan!"

The Walpurgis nodded briefly before summoning spears made of pure ice.

Danhauser saw them lunging forward, he aimed his Worthlessness at them, but Walburga dispatched them swiftly with holy fire.

"Not good," Danhauser muttered, pulling his spear out just in time to parry the chunk of ice.

Wrapping Worthlessness around his weapon, Danhauser whistled when the ice slowly disintegrated from the Magician's grasp, drops of water falling from their empty hands.

"I—!" Nothing else left his throat as Danhauser bashed the butt of his spear to the side of her head, bolting harshly atop of a tree.

He swore he'd heard his neck _cracking_ after his hit.

He blinked when the thought struck him. "Did I just kill some—!" He stopped after seeing another one charging with the same glazed spear.

Danhauser shook his head.

Belial dodged the unprecise thrusts by tilting his head to the sides, carefully floating backward to make a gap between them, he grabbed the chunk of ice and yanked the Magician closer.

Before Danhauser could cast Worthlessness over them. He caught a small glimpse of purple slowly expanding, he looked up, eyes-widened as a giant cross came nearer.

Danhauser acted quickly. He sheathed his spear and pulled the terrorist closer as they tried to slip away.

"G-Get off!" He heard her young wailing, slapping his chest and kicking the air as her magic circuits suddenly expired, feeling the heat approximate made her scream angrily. "GET OFF ME!

Danhauser Belial tightened his grip. "I'm sorry, it's you or me.".

She stopped. "W-What—?"

He just whirled and pushed her at the hungry flames.

Her cries of pain just lasted a split-second when the fireball had digested her slender figure and clothes.

Then a blinding flash came from the point where the flames struck its victim and a purple cloud rose in the air.

Danhauser saw the nearby structures shaking. "Shit!" He crossed his arms over his chest and moved his wings in front, summoning a four-layered barrier as the shockwave clashed against his shield.

While his skin was protected from any wounds, the weight of the force was powerful enough to send Danhauser unsteadily diving to the ground.

The world rushed by in a blur and he knew pain was next on the list. It goes by fast, yet slow, almost suspended. He spun around just in time to see a roof drawing closer.

Then impact.

* * *

Valerie Tepes had stopped in her tracks long ago, just like anyone else stuck on this stupid battlefield, all of them concentrated on the pillar of purple flames and smoke painting the dark sky.

"Holy shit," She ignored Tobio cursing beneath his breath, sword coated in Utsusemi's black substance.

"…" Siegfried kept his lips sealed, fist clenched, he turned to his foes with a glare. "Keep fighting!"

Finally, the Dhampir broke from her trace and relocated her previous enemies, they were still admiring the smoke with awestruck expressions.

She took aim and brought her pale arms up and formed an "X" across her chest, immediately a pair of black arms came from her own shadows and sneaked toward her prey.

Their gasps were enough to confirm her capture was a success, her shadowy limbs harshly moved them up and then down.

The impact was strong that both Magicians coughed blood when their backs crashed atop a car, window's shards scattering around and activating its alarm.

Before she could pull other tricks from her sleeve, a familiar scent tickled her nostrils.

Valerie's eyes widened and quickly concealed her nose, slowly looking down just in time to see a trail of crimson slowly making its way to her.

"No, no, no…!" She shook her head, walking backward until her back met a wall. _"Not here…!"_

She yelped in surprise as a tongue wrapped around her slender arm, she pulled back, only to be brought on her butt as the Utsusemi used more strength.

"Got you!" Tobio suddenly appeared, cutting the tongue with ease. He spared a looked over his shoulder. "All good?"

She took relaxing breaths and nodded, dusting her dress. "I-It was nothing."

The Utsusemi watched its tongue drop on the floor like a bag of meat. Growling, it lunged at them, only to be slashed in half by a black dog, its halves soon joining its tongue.

"Good one, Jin!" Tobio cheered, grinning at his Sacred Gear. "Keep it up, buddy!"

The dog barked happily and wiggled its tail and ran after his partner.

Siegfried landed beside them. "All the Magicians are taken care of," he reported, eyeing the Utsusemi slowly crawling at them. "They're our last adversaries."

Jin growled and took a stance, a blade erupting from its forehead.

"What happened to boss?" Tobio spoke, slowly bringing his sword in front of him, back to back with his teammates. "Think he's… you know…"

"Let's hope not," Siegfried prayed, Twice Critical gripping tightly the third sword.

"Have you tried contacting him?" Valerie asked, four dark arms sprouting from her shadow as she also frowned at the Utsusemi. "He has that earpiece of his, doesn't he?"

"I tried, but he hasn't responded," Siegfried replied. "Maybe he wrapped himself in Worthlessness once again."

"Hmm," Valerie hummed and peeked at the distanced torrent of smoke. "Or perhaps his body charred along the earpiece? That would justify his absence... I wonder what does the smell of burning flesh smell like."

Siegfried paled at her words, immediately placing a finger to his ear.

He took a deep breath.

* * *

 **[Master! Are you awake?! Say something!]**

Danhauser's body shook slightly, he groaned quietly. "Don't yell…!" He whined out, trying to lift himself up to answer the call, but he couldn't. "Why I can't move…?"

He blinked, closed his eyes, and blinked again, as Siegfried kept shouting. Streaks of light coming from the roof and blinded him.

The Heir hissed and looked away, discovering through the corner of his eye a bookshelf lying over him, Danhauser grunted and pushed it away, dusting the paper sheets off his body.

He picked himself up from the scattered books and rubbed a single eye, scanning his surroundings. "Bookshelves, computers, books, this has to be a library, yes or yes." He continued gazing around until he spotted the sign on the counter. "Ryoukuu Library." He read aloud, chuckling tiredly. "Pretty sure Tobio and Sae would feel nostalgia."

 **[Master!]**

Danhauser winced and dug his digit into his earlobe. "I'm here, I'm here…"

Multiples sighs of relief erupted from the device.

 **[Good, you're in for the action, boss.]** Tobio greeted, Danhauser could swear hearing how brunet was slashing at… whatever they were fighting.

 **[Welcome back, Mr. Belial.]** Valerie simply said.

"Thank you, thank you guys," Danhauser coughed out, waving the dust floating over his face. "Status, Siegfried?"

 **[We have defeated the Walpurgis.]** His Knight explained briefly. **[We're against the Utsusemi now, and you?]**

"I still have a pyromaniac, gothic german chasing after me," Danhauser massaged his temple, eyes fixated on the floor.

 **[She seems problematic, yes?]** Valerie pointed out the obvious. **[I'm baffled you could keep up with her.]**

"You and me both, Valerie." Danhauser agreed. "I don't want to distract you guys, best wishes."

 **[Same.]** Tobio said before ending the transmission, followed by the others.

"Walburga's coming," Danhauser yanked his finger and scowled, inspecting his surroundings as fast as he could. He knew she had definitely survived the explosion, why else would she use such technique otherwise? Or maybe she's still waking up from her own attack, too.

The gray-youth tapped his chin. "Her reflexes are top-notch, mixed with Incinerate Anthem you get a strong user." His right eyebrow twitched. "Her use of magic is better than mine, but physically? I dominate her, without a doubt."

Danhauser has rendered her barriers worthless, but she could still weave energy on her digits, Danhauser needs to land a punch on any part of her body to stop her from casting spells. Sure, his Clan Trait lasts mere seconds, but for each successful attack, his House trait resets back to zero.

He understands that as a member of the Belial Clan, his fighting style mostly resorts to making sure his opponent has little to defend themselves against Worthlessness. The moment his Clan Trait has done its part, he must shift closer and continue his assault, not leaving his prey room for breathing.

Unfortunately, his opponent is none other than Walburga. Of the Purple Flames. The Longinus User.

She could just invoke a wall of holy fire around her with a hand's sway, which was good enough to push Danhauser far away.

He bit this thumb. "I need to catch her by surprise, then." He almost drew blood from his finger. "But how?!"

…

"Perhaps…" Danhauser pulled his spear out of his back, he traced his hand over it as he pictured his plan working out, cringing slightly.

He bit his cheek and hesitantly nodded. "…Let's… let's see if it works out."

* * *

Walburga descended from the roof, exactly from the hole where Danhauser had fallen through.

She cupped her hands around her mouth. "Hello! Is the little bat hiding here?" A hand sneaked behind her ear, smugness written on her face as she kept analyzing the old library with disinterest. Pretty sure she had read half of these books.

…

…

…

Walburga chuckled sourly. "Now, now." She playfully shook a finger. "I'm just here to make a deal! You have a dumbass that is on our team, his name is…" She tapped her chin with a small pout. "Oooh! Kazuhisa Doumon! Pretty sure you heard of him? He had a black kitty as an Utsusemi, you also gave him the beating of his life!"

The cackle that left her throat echoing in the empty(?) room was the only sound that brought life into the library. Walburga's stance had loosened slightly since she'd entered from the roof, she had made sure that there wasn't any kind of seals under her or nearby, is he hiding in a different room?

Her mouth shifted into a snarl but gridlocked midway, a forced smile taking its place. "Oh, I get it! Little bat wanna play hide and seek, eh?"

She softly hummed a song and twirled in mid-air. Moving like ribbons in the wind, she felt timeless. Elegance at its finest and pain in its true form. "Lucky you, I _really_ love playing games, but!" She stopped dancing and fired purple fire at a pile of books, grinning like a hyena. "Let's make it _more_ interesting!"

Fire licked around the library like it meant to play, turning the once pretty timber floor into a maze of flame. The alarms sounded, an odor of smoke in the air.

Soror Shien grunted, displeased as suddenly water drops began bathing the room, desperately trying to dispose of the powerful inferno.

She passed a hand straight to her now wet silver hair, her shoulder lying on a pedestal. "Sooner or later you'll have to—!"

Walburga now felt a familiar demonic presence in the room, she searched the energy and her eyes widened in surprise. She yelped and by a narrow margin dodged the spear, impaling itself on the pillar behind her.

 _"I almost lost my fucking head!"_ She spotted the devil vaulting out from the counter, multiples ripples of energy warped behind him, he never wasted time on firing his creations.

A blue vein popped on her temple as she triggered her Sacred Gear, a wall of purple that kissed the roof appeared and evaporated his spells alongside the rain.

"Don't you understand?!" She snapped behind her obstruction, teeth clenched together. "Your spells are _FAR_ inferior against my—!"

Her words died out inside her throat. Something wet, black and viscous wrapping around her neck, rendering her unable to even scream.

The tendril of resin hauled her back, smashing the back of her head against the concrete pedestal hard, knocking her lights out.

The wall of flames popped out, just in time for Danhauser to hold sight of Walburga slowly landing on her butt unconsciously, his Malebranche trait crawling back inside the embedded spear.

Before the Heir could launch his finishing move, a sudden light blinded him—Danhauser felt it like getting stunned by a flashbang right between the eyes. It was without a single doubt a distasteful feeling.

Once the brightness expired, he blinked the black dots out of his vision, searching for the gothic girl just to find her figure gone from the room.

The tension that had clutched him up for like an hour straight melted into nothing. He placed his hands on his knees and greedily took a deep breath, taking note that the purple flames also evaporated. "Good thing I had mixed my Malebranche trait with my Belial trait."

He slowly walked after his weapon, scowling. "She's right." He muttered, passing a sweet finger over his lance. "My demonic powers were mediocre against her—sure she has Incinerate Anthem, but…" He paused with a grunt, almost punching the wall. "I could've done better, _way_ better. I need to train WAY more."

He pulled his spear and sheathed it, rubbing his eyebrows angrily. Flashbacks of how he'd fell inside a library repeating before him. "Fucking hell… I can't believe I also killed someone, fuck me…"

 **[Hey boss.]** Tobio's exhausted voice rang inside his brain, Danhauser calmly answering the call with a hum. **[We were having the lead during our fight, but the Utsusemi disappeared into that flashy light…]**

 **[Again.]** Valerie added briefly.

"Same here," Danhauser sighed out, glaring daggers at the stain of blood imprinted on the pedestal. "Walburga disappeared with the same technique."

 **[So Walburga is her name...]** Siegfried made a mental note. **[If you allow me to guess then the Holy Fire User is still alive?]**

"Correct, Siegfried," The King confirmed. "I defeated her, but before I could give the final blow, she disappeared."

 **[You… you were trying to kill her?]** Slash Dog carefully asked.

Danhauser pursed his dry lips, eyes roaming around. "I…I don't even know what I was doing, I just let adrenaline control me and… and…"

 **[What's the matter?]** Siegfried chimed in. **[I don't see any problem with that.]**

Tobio snorted in distaste. **[… Of course, you don't.]**

 **[We should leave.]** The Dhampir intervened. **[It has been a long night, I think we deserve a rest, won't you agree, Mr. Belial?]**

Danhauser nodded in agreement and thankfulness. "… Of course! Like always, you guys did amazing, I'll meet you there don't move, understood?"

 **[Understood, Master.]** Siegfried answered before ending the conversation, followed by the light-blonde girl and the brunet.

Danhauser pocketed his hands, tracing his shoe across the floor. "… I have the feeling that this is going to be a thing."

* * *

"So, what's up, boss?" Tobio Ikuse inquired, rolling a shoulder. "What're we doing in the forest now? It's morning still and I highly doubt we're here for a picnic party."

"Have you forgotten the fight we had yesterday, Tobio?" Siegfried spared him with a quick side glance before turning to admire nature's beauty. "We're here to hone our skills masterfully."

"Again?" Tobio almost facepalmed, sticking with a tired groan. "Can't we just celebrate our second victory against the Hex… Hex… whatever their name is?"

"Remember, we're in the middle of a war," The silver-haired boy reminded his fellow Knight. "Time respects no one. We don't have the hour to commemorate the occasion." He paused. "It's Hexennacht, by the way."

"Yeah, I get that, but we're _not_ machines." The brunet rolled his eyes, making sure Jin is not meandering away. "I'm not saying that the whole day should be wasted by slacking off, but a few hours wouldn't affect us."

"I have to concur with Mr. Ikuse," Valerie Tepes finally joined, putting a hand above her head as sunlight struck her. "If time respects no one, then why should we respect it? An hour or two of discovering the wonders of this world wouldn't hurt anybody."

"In the end, this is boss' call," Tobio looked forward, specifically at his master's back. "So? You wouldn't mind, yeah? If you agree then leave the rest to me! I know a great place to have a great time."

Danhauser Belial, finally, gazed over his shoulder, his Knights, and Valerie, waiting for his orders. He bit his lips and looked back onward, carefully keeping his brown flowerpot close to him. "… This is the plan. Training _is_ a must, so we won't avoid it, no matter what."

Tobio sighed in defeat, scratched his head. "Damn… and I was looking forward to—!"

"Don't sing defeat yet, Tobio," Danhauser said with a slight chuckle, clearing his throat. "When we're done punching our guts out. We'll pay Bova a visit in his territory—I have special amends to attend with his father." He paused and pun around, also stopping his followers. He clashed stares with the Japanese's light-gray eyes.

The Devil smiled slightly. "You have the perfect time to find a good place for us."

 _"I could use some distraction,"_ Danhauser held back a sigh. _"While I don't want to celebrate how we killed people… I think it would just erase those thoughts… hopefully."_ He studied each one of them. _"How're they not traumatized? I can understand Siegfried and to an extent, Valerie, but Tobio…? We stole someone's life, damn it! Or maybe he is?"_

Tobio fist-pumped with a huge grin. "Leave that to me, boss! I won't disappoint you at all!"

"Then it's decided," Valerie toyed with a pigtail.

Siegfried, on the other hand, grunted. "… I'm still against the idea, but if Master is alright with it then I concede."

"Don't be a party pooper, Sieg." Slash Dog said flatly. "Just _relax!_ Trust me—we'll have the greatest day!"

"You should stop frowning, Mr. Exorcist," Valerie said whilst her smile turned wry. "Or you'll give yourself wrinkles."

"Tsk." The hero descendant folded his arms. "Either way, are we going to outset our training here, Master?"

"Yes… and no," Danhauser drawled. "This is where I'm going to train—you guys are going to move far away."

"This is out of context, but is it necessary to bring a flowerpot with us?" The Dhampir fixed her crimson eyes over the flowerpot.

The Heir nodded. "This is the next part of my training." He said while carefully putting the vase on the grass, patting Jin's head along the way. "… It's time to put my hand over Senjutsu."

Tobio, Siegfried, and Valerie shared mutual, idly glances, the female shrugging slightly.

Siegfried took the courage to speak for everyone. "… Excuse me Master, but what?"

"Senjutsu," Danhauser repeated nonchalantly, "Sage Arts is another name."

"… Okay," Tobio trailed off. "What's that?"

"To keep it brief, it's like another magic system that is available to anyone who has a soul and a spirit. Just like Devils uses demonic energy and Angels weave light." Their master responded.

"What does it do?" Siegfried promptly asked.

"Control the flow of life energy," the gray-haired boy replied, sitting cross-legged on the soil. "I could grow plants and all that stuff."

"There must be a seed inside then…" Valerie theorized to herself, eyeing the vessel curiously.

Tobio cocked an eyebrow. "So what now? You'll build your own farm? Or save the earth by growing trees?"

"Not really." Danhauser shrugged. "Just another method to fight back," he brought his pot closer. "For that, I need to meditate and concentrate on my state of mind."

"That explains why we must practice far away," the former Exorcist caught on, nodding. "Understood, Master. All I can do is wish you the best."

"Thanks," Danhauser nodded back. "Follow Siegfried, he'll find an appropriate place for all of you to train."

"Sure thing boss," Tobio saluted lazily and followed after Valerie and Siegfried.

With one last lick at Danhauser's fingers, Jin ran after his partner in crime.

Danhauser waited for them to disappear behind the bushes, he sighed. "Time to work." He scanned his surroundings, humming in approval. "… Trees, the smell of nature, birds chirping… I only need a waterfall behind me and this would be the best meditation spot."

The Heir rubbed his hands together. "Let's see if I can do it." Then he paused, sparing an apologetic look at the flowerpot. "Sorry, _we_."

Danhauser fought the urge to facepalm "Fantastic, I'm apologizing to a seed," he said under his breath. "Let's get back to the point, shall we?" He awkwardly patted the dirt inside the vase. "If my memory serves me right, Kuroka once had explained the basics ways of using Senjutsu, which was through meditation." He said either to himself or the seed. "… I also found in the library a book about it, it explained the same thing and advanced methods… obviously, I'll start from zero."

What he'd read in a book was what Danhauser already knew about. Unlike Demonic Power and Light whose purpose is literally destroy anything with ease, Senjutsu focuses more on sprouting life or decaying it, something that common magic can't do. A good example is the keen detection of aura, as long as it has a soul or a spirit, it can be detected by Sage Arts users.

Unless their foe is a master of Senjutsu and masks their presence.

To his surprise, the book also mentioned who's the strongest Senjutsu user, Danhauser thought that it may be Sun Wukong, Yasaka or even a Buddha, but to his shock, it's someone that he has seen since he was a toddler, in fact, he's sitting atop of it.

The planet earth, as dumb as it sounds.

It was amazing what you could find in a library, sometimes Danhauser would drop a few pessimistic comments here and then, but soon he would shut up when the book he was urgently seeking was getting nearer as he'd continued his searching. Unfortunately, when he'd spotted the book, it was in Japanese, so his new objective was to find a translator, for an unknown reason, he went after Tobio's childhood friend: Sae Toujou.

He doesn't even know why he would ask her. He and she aren't in a friendly relationship per say, not as bad as Rudiger Rosenkreutz and Danhauser Belial, but it could bloom into that sooner or later, but to his surprise, she accepted to translate him a few pages, mostly the ones that he needs to dominate before jumping to the next phase.

Danhauser knows the power that Senjutsu has and the fatal flaw that comes up with it. At first, he was thinking that it shouldn't be a good idea to try and unlock his ki in the Underworld, after all, this place is literally where harems, incest, treachery and many other horrible things are a Tuesday for Devils, Fallen Angels, and possibly Grim Reapers.

In other words, Danhauser could accidentally tap into the ill and malice of the Underworld's roots, his mind would be far easier to corrupt than someone who's been practicing in the Human World or even in Heaven.

"But if I see it that way, shouldn't I get instantly corrupted then?" Danhauser tapped his chin in wonder. "I'm already a creature of corruption and sin, the moment I let-off my ki, wouldn't my demonic power retaliate…?" His eyes widened slightly. "Or… Siegfried's former sword, Gram? Or any demonic weapon at all?"

"Screw it," Danhauser closed his eyes and pressed both clenched fists together, leg crossed. "It's not like I'll release my _ki_ on the first try, as long as I keep trying, it's what matters. Patience, Danhauser, patience!"

Thus he just sat there, taking calm, deep breaths of nature's sweet perfume, the only sound that neared his ears were the leaves slowly falling into the grass, it was almost inaudible and the sound of clashes from a safe distance.

…

…

…

Danhauser's eyes opened like two flashlight beams, taking sharp breaths. "… This." He paused to chuckle nervously. "This is going to be difficult… mostly if I still have the images from yesterday on my head, unlucky."

Difficult? Definitely. Impossible? Unlikely. So, Danhauser continued his meditation regardless if flashbacks of his previous sins reflected over his vision.

Once more, Danhauser stopped to rub the bridge of his nose.

"This is going to be a _long_ day."

* * *

"Wake up."

"Pouah!" Danhauser gasped, rolling across the rough and shaggy grass as something wet splashed on his face. Glancing around, he squinted his eyes as sunlight struck him, staring back at the blurred figure above him.

"Hello there," The familiar voice said with a hint of amusement, shaking an empty glass. "Hope you had a pleasant nap."

"Diehauser?" Danhauser moaned out, rubbing his eyes and slowly pushing himself out of the ground.

The Emperor's smile widened. "In the flesh, little brother." He offered a hand, which Danhauser gladly took it.

Dusting his pants, the Heir passed a finger across his cheeks, he glared tiredly. "You really had to use water, didn't you?"

Diehauser pocketed his hands, shrugging. "Hey, I was here like ten minutes to stop your hibernation." He countered. "Mom was getting worried and I decided to pick you back to the manor. Nice flowerpot by the way."

"Glad you liked it," Danhauser said with a yawn, picking up his pot. "How long was I out?"

"Around three hours, I suppose," he looked up. "It's still daytime, so don't worry about the time."

"Where's my Peerage and Valerie?"

"I found them and sent them back to the manor," Diehauser replied, arms folded. "They told me you were practicing Senjutsu, is that true?"

Seeing the Champion turned his heels and walk away was enough for the teenager to move beside him. "Yes, yes I was."

"Why though?" Diehauser asked, gazing down at him. "Why do you want to learn Sage Arts now?"

"Weed," Danhauser returned the stare. "I want to sell _hardcore_ weed across the Underworld."

Diehauser snorted, looking away with a chuckle. "Oh good. Keep practicing and you can take your big brother out of his job."

"Yeah, you wish."

…

"… Have you told mother about this?" Diehauser finally dropped the bomb. "I mean about your fight against the…?"

Danhauser broke eye contact, looking down. "No, not yet."

"You have to, Dan."

"I will," He suddenly found the grass interesting. "Just… just give me some time to prepare everything."

"The more time you keep her in the dark, the poorer the situation it'll be."

"Hey, I need a favor," Danhauser quickly changed the subject. "Can you take me to the Dragon Mountain, today?"

Emperor Belial curved an eyebrow. "Is something wrong between you and Tannin?"

"Not at all," Danhauser assured him, looking up to the sky. "It's time to pick up my new Peerage member."

* * *

Danhauser Belial never understood why Dragons loved mountains _so_ much.

In a way, it shares a similar method akin to a watchtower, but with an expandable view. It is useful to keep an eye out for intruders trying to do something nasty or stupid, maybe even both.

Maybe they adore mountains because they feel like Kings of the world? Which makes sense, if the book he had read about them speaks the truth, most authors see them as kings of the world, because of their selfishness, pride, and strength.

There are few dragons that prefer to stay in a cave, their whole bodies wrapped in gold and beautiful stones, mostly those are the ones that don't want to have any kind of business with outsiders. They temporarily push their introverted side to fetch some food and water, if the book he had read was correct.

In the end, Danhauser and his team went to Tannin's territory with the help of Diehauser Belial, the latter leaving to give a brief update at the Council of Ars Goetia and Mephisto Pheles, obviously informing first the Dragon Saint that visit is going to invade his home.

"So this is what a mountain looks like…" Valerie Tepes gushed out, shielding her eyes from the sun.

Danhauser followed her gaze. "Yeah, amazing isn't it?" He looked at the awed girl. "You never saw a mountain before, right?"

"Never," the blonde girl whispered. "I wonder how it would feel to be on top of one…"

Danhauser smiled slightly. "Well, if you want to be closer to the sun…"

"…At night time."

The gray youth weakly chuckled. "Easy, you'll be freezing off."

"Why?" The Dhampir questioned.

"… Let's just say that the temperature of the air is lower at higher altitudes due to the low air pressure." He saw her confused look. "Pressure decreases with temperature."

"The lower the pressure, the lower the temperature," Siegfried elaborated. "… I think if its night time the climate's coldness intensifies."

"You two have been atop a mountain before?" Tobio Ikuse joined the conversation whilst scratching Jin behind its ear.

"No, but we have internet, literally our best friend," Danhauser replied with a shrug.

"… The world is weird," the light-blonde girl muttered behind a hand.

All of them hastily looked up after the powerful roar that was kindred to that of a dinosaur shaking the skies, they shielded their vision when gigantic creatures landed along with a cloud of dust.

"Ah, Danhauser Belial," a deep, gruffed voice greeted. "It has been months since I've seen you... you've grown up. I can see you're stronger than before, too."

Valerie kept her mask on, but her eyes told another tale.

Jin took a stance and growled.

"Holy shit," Tobio felt dread at their presence. "Am… am I the only one feeling nervous?"

"Don't worry, Tobio," Siegfried said beside him. "Let Master handle the situation."

Danhauser lowered his arms. "Nice seeing you too, Tannin." He turned to the two dragons with biological traits similar to their father, one of them was familiar to him.

He waved at the smallest of the two. "Hey there, Bova."

Bova Tannin grinned goofily, tail swishing happily. "Danhauser!"

"So, this is the Devil that Bova highly speaks about…" The tallest dragon muttered with arms folded, snorting a puff of smoke. "I don't see anything special about him."

Bova rushed to the group, instantly gripping Danhauser's arm and shaking it strongly. "Danhauser!" He laughed."Heh-heh-heh! My rival! You really came to my home!"

Danhauser held back a pained chuckle, softly stealing his arm back. "I said I would meet your family, didn't I?" He rubbed his wrist tenderly, noticing someone approaching. "I suppose he's your brother."

"You got that right, Imp." Tannin's eldest son growled, shifting his younger brother behind. "And you're the one who wants to put a collar on my little brother, right?"

Danhauser winced, rubbing his neck. "Well, that's not a good way of saying it…"

"…"

"… Um," Danhauser trailed off, not clashing stares with his glare. He offered an unsure handshake. "My name is Danhauser Belial, nice to meet you and you are?"

The dragon stared blankly at the outstretched hand before glaring up. "… None of your business, Imp."

"Oh, I-I see," Danhauser lowered his arm, stifling a nervous chuckle. "I heard from your brother that you don't agree with me recruiting Bova into my—!"

"No, I don't, Imp." He interrupted Belial. "Who you think you are to take someone from our family away from us?"

Bova just grunted, annoyed.

The Heir looked up to Tannin, to his surprise—the Reincarnated Queen was also expecting an answer. He sighed and returned to the eldest brother. "I won't be taking Bova way from you, if he joins my Peerage, I'll promise each one of you that he can visit as much as he wants, however, when I need my whole set of chess pieces on a meeting, I would love if he was with us."

The purple dragon stared for a long time, he finally faced his father. "Father, we can't let this Imp take our brother away!"

Bova finally faced his oldest brother with a bad eye. "I speak for myself, brother!"

His brother pressed his forehead against his, pushing him down and snarling. "You're still a hatchling, you can't speak still!"

"… My eldest son is right, Danhauser Belial," Tannin finally spoke, looking down at the Devil. "I won't just toss my son away just like that, even if you are his childhood friend—!"

"Childhood rival!" Bova shouted with a small blush.

"... You need to prove yourself worthy if you wish to recruit him."

Danhauser bit his lip and nodded. "You… You want me to fight your son or you?"

To his surprise, the Dragon King shook his head. "While it sounds convincing, that's not what I'm searching from you."

"… Then what?"

"Figure it out yourself."

Danhauser balled his fists. "…I need to prove myself worthy, but how?" He could practically feel the impatient stares of everyone paling his insides.

He clenched his eyes with teeth gritted, seeking deeper in his mind about Dragon's culture. He had found somewhere that when a female dragon lay eggs, the parents leave their breeds behind to survive alone in the harsh nature. In a way, they were like sea turtles, it also reminded him of the Darwinism's theory.

 _"Oh well, some of them at least,"_ Danhauser looked up at the patient Saint Dragon. _"This could explain why Tannin's eldest son is pissed at me, which I fully understand."_ Danhauser shook his head. _"They want to see if I'm worthy of having someone from their kin part of my peerage… but how?"_

The gray youth finally gasped quietly. _"The dragon way…?"_

"What is it, Imp?" Tannin's oldest son taunted. "The Nekomata got your tongue?"

"I can do it," Danhauser Belial cleared his throat, shot one last glare at him and faced Tannin, lazily pointing a thumb at Bova's older brother. "I don't care what this moron thinks. Your youngest son has the right to choose what to do with his life, no matter what."

"…" Tannin stayed quiet, studying the teenager who had just called his creation an idiot. He serenely spoke. "I can smell the fire… and from a Devil shockingly!" He chuckled softly. "Expected from someone who has the blood of a Malebranche, what a disgrace most Devilkin choose to whine like pups nowadays…"

His eldest son clicked his sharp tongue. "Actions speak louder than words! I stand in full denial! He still hasn't proved himself respectable yet, father!"

Meteor Dragon heaved a sigh. "My tolerance is burning out, but my eldest son isn't wrong in any way." He turned to his youngest son. "Bova, do you see him trustworthy? Are they going to kill and die on your side?"

Before Bova could stretch his jaw, Danhauser replied. "Bova will give the Tannin Clan the pride it deserves on my team. Give us a target, and it will die."

The Dragon Saint grinned, arms outstretched. "Well spoken! Outsiders, and to an extent some dragons, do not understand our old-fashioned traditions. I imagine you do, Danhauser Belial."

Danhauser gave a neutral nod, mentally cheering for himself.

Someone, however, stood in disagreement. "Outsiders don't know strength, especially the Imps!" He intruded Danhauser's personal space. "Only we, the dragons, were born with it. This is just a waste of time, father. Why should we listen to someone—!"

 _"Shit, what should I do know?! What a_ dragon _would do?!"_ Danhauser's gray orbs were still locked with Bova's eldest brother—he noticed Tannin from the corner of his eye gazing at his rambling son with a look of interest.

He mentally groaned. _"I… I have an idea, fuck me—this is going to hurt a lot…"_

Belial left his inner world, seeing the Dragon still reproaching.

Danhauser gulped quietly. "Hey, dumbass."

The Dragon stopped and sneered at him. "What did you just—!"

Danhauser headbutted the Dragon.

…

A heavy silence settled over them, it was the terrifying part. Like before a bomb. It's a time for hope to grow or wither. He swore to hear someone whistle behind him, mixed with startled stares cast over his figure.

Danhauser ignored them and the excruciating migraine that burned across his temple and neck, masking his expression of agony with a blank face.

He awkwardly folded his arms and waited for the Dragon to shake the ache from his snout.

The Gargantuan creature had his orbs closed as he rolled his neck. "You…" He trailed off with slitted, red eyes and bared fangs, ready to chew the Imp ahead him. "You dare to _challenge_ me…?"

"BWA HA HA HA!" Tannin openly boomed a laugh, shaking the nearby trees and scaring off the birds. "I like this Devil! He knows our ways!"

His son stared at him wide-eyed, slowly turning to Danhauser with a feral growl, taking a step back. "I won't revoke my refusal. I don't like you nor your race, Imp."

Danhauser internally screamed in pain.

He then turned to his younger brother disapprovingly. "You're making a mistake, Bova."

Finally, he unfolded his wings and took off.

The Meteor Dragon chuckled, handing out Danhauser a small smirk. "You have provoked a _dragon_. Reason enough for me to trust you." He faced his hatchling, nodding. "Don't let your brother's words discourage you, deep down they still care for you, so do I. This is your path, do as you please."

"I wish each one of you the best in your future and dreams." Tannin declared, invoking his herculean wings and flying away.

When there was no sight of Tannin, Danhauser dropped to the grass, cursing. "Oh fuck, my head fucking hurts!" He laid a hand on his forehead, immediately pulling away with a hiss.

"That was amazing!" Bova roared out exaggeratedly. "Knowing that you knew my race's tradition, I would headbutt you all the way through!"

Danhauser shuddered, chuckling whenever Jin licked his face.

Bova grinned proudly. "Now, Danhauser. How do you feel? Must feel great headbutting a dragon, isn't it?

"I feel like shit," The Heir answered. "Hope the brain damage I'll get afterward was worth it."

"I think you're exaggerating," Tobio said with a nervous chuckle, comfortingly patting his shoulder. "But, I'll beat around the bush and say that was retarded from your part, boss."

"Nonsense, that was an interesting method of using your head," Danhauser looked up just in time to see the amused girl crouching down and cast her healing spells. "Don't move."

Danhauser gave a quick nod, patting the playful dog one last time.

Siegfried pinched his nose. "I have to side with Tobio here, that was reckless, Master."

"He looks good," Bova waved off their concerns. "Heh, the advantage of having a six-layered skull!"

"Yeah, Devils don't have that," Danhauser informed.

The Dragon smirked. "Ooh, that must've hurt, then."

"Done," Valerie took a step back, letting Danhauser slowly stand up. "How do you feel?"

"Still like shit, but without blurry sight."

Valerie smiled dryly. "Well, quite the progress."

"Great! That means we can go out!" Tobio clapped twice. "Let's not waste time anymore! Let's go, team!"

Danhauser took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright. Show us the way, Tobio."

* * *

"… An Arcade Room?" Danhauser Belial said aloud to keep up with the noisy machines.

"Yeah!" Tobio Ikuse also raised his voice. "Awesome, isn't it?"

"Loudly is the word I'd use," Valerie Tepes retorted, adjusting the bag hanging on her shoulder.

"I know right?" Sae Toujou agreed with a sigh. "The place is obnoxious in so different ways, but for an unknown reason, I find myself coming here more than I should."

Valerie kept inspecting the zone. "I... have never seen such a collection of machinery and people before."

"Come on, girls!" Tobio groaned. "Don't start judging the place, you'll love it!"

Bova Tannin pulled his head out of Valerie's bag. "Remind me why I need to be in a bag?"

"Animals are not allowed in here," the Dhampir calmly answered, shrugging. "Yes, that includes dragons."

Bova growled. "Not fair." He sank inside once again.

Danhauser simply massaged his aching temple. "Hey, Tobio. Could you please tell whoever runs this place to put some loud Dubstep? My headache is _barely_ reacting."

Slash Dog rolled his eyes. "Stop whining, boss. There's a place to sit if you're not ready to play, not so far away from here."

"I think I've seen it when we stepped inside," Siegfried finally spoke, turning around and walking away. "I'll keep an eye out. Have fun."

Danhauser bit his lips and looked behind his shoulder, just by looking at the brunet's face made him feel bad. "… I'll make sure he doesn't do anything stupid, in a second I'll join you guys." He looked at Tobio in the eye. "When I come back, I'll beat you in any game of your choice, sounds good?"

The Japanese blinked, twice before breaking into a laugh. "I'd love to see you try, boss!"

Belial smiled and playfully punched his shoulder. "You did well in making this event. I figured you should know that." He pulled out his wallet, lending it at Tobio. "Here's the fatty, play as many games as you want, buy toys, food, you know the drill. Thank you."

The Japanese rubbed his arm, wincing and taking the King's cash. "Go find the idiot."

Danhauser nodded and walked away.

Tobio addressed the silent group, tossing the wallet into the air. "So anything you want to try out first?"

"What do you mean?" Sae curved an eyebrow, cocking her hip. "Aren't you going to play your shooting games?"

Tobio paled at her words.

…

Sae's green eyes softened, she reached out. "… Hey, Tobi are you alright?"

Slash Dog quickly shook his head. "Huh?" He blinked. "Oh, sorry, I just… remembered something unpleasant. Everything's good now, though!"

Valerie frowned. "Are you certain? You'd looked as if you'd saw a… ghost."

The Japanese laughed it off weakly. "Yeah, completely fine over here! I just don't feel like playing those games."

The girls shared a mutual glance.

"Anyways!" Tobio pocketed the wallet. "Why don't we play that game you love so much, Sae?"

Sae blinked in surprise. "You wanna play Just Dance?" Her eyes widened slightly at the eager nod. "You told me you hated that game!"

He moved his hands over her shoulders. "Well! People change perspectives now and then! Don't you think?"

Before Sae could voice her opinion, the brunet began thrusting her forward. "H-hey! I can move on my own! Stop it!"

"…" Valerie just watched the fumbling girl getting pushed away by her childhood friend.

She felt a harsh movement coming from her bag, she glanced down to see the head of a lizard glaring at her.

"What's wrong with him?" Bova said, pursuing them with his gaze. "He's acting weird."

"I know," the light-blonde muttered, following in a slowish pace. "Hm. You'll have to ask Mr. Belial about this, Mr. Tannin."

Bova spared her with a questioning stare, conscious of the Dhampir not sharing her thoughts made the Dragon grunt and sank deeper into the bag.

* * *

"So, what's up?" Danhauser dropped on the seat beside the silver-haired. "Why the edgy attitude?"

Siegfried frowned, arms folded. "I'm afraid I'm not following, Master."

"First, don't call me 'Master' in public places, the odd stares we're getting are turning annoying," Danhauser grunted, making the peace-sign. "Second, why'd you leave? Tobio took his time to make this for us, you know?"

The Knight broke eye contact with a huff. "Well, maybe I'm feeling edgy today."

"I'm sorry, but, there can only be one edgelord on this Peerage." Danhauser wiggled his eyebrows. "Guess who has earned that title?"

Siegfried grunted and rested his chin on a balled fist, watching the Arcade Machines with the slightest interest. "… You wouldn't understand."

Danhauser shrugged. "Try me."

The Knight snorted indignantly. "You'll make fun of me."

The King scoffed. "Please, remember how you were defeated with a tiny knife by…" Danhauser stopped after seeing the warning glare. "Right. The point being, I won't make fun of you, you're my Knight, my job is to make sure everyone's fine."

The former Exorcist took deep breaths and spared constant, suspicious glances at his Master. Siegfried cocked his head down like a scolded child and muttered something that not even Danhauser's enhanced hearing could translate.

Danhauser blinked, putting a hand behind his ear and shifted his head closely. "Sorry, what?"

The swordsman angrily massaged his nose. "… I don't know how to play."

Belial jerked his head back, blinking. "… Really? That's the issue?" He saw his Knight nod insecurely. "… Why?"

He rubbed his neck, drawing some air. "The Orthodox Church prohibited distracting ourselves from any kind of entertainment," he responded. "Back then, it was wake up in the morning, train, eat, missions, train, sleep and repeat." He hummed. "That was our cycle."

Danhauser stared unblinkingly. "You guys are not machines," he pointed out. "I get why your training was strict, after all, I'm doing the same thing. But at least I let you guys have a rest and have fun."

Siegfried frowned. "I didn't mind honestly," he glared the building's entrance. "That's what worries me a lot, every time the thought of kicking a ball did cross my mind here and then, but it was immediately replaced by the Church's regimen." He bit his cheek. "But why?"

"What would happen if you tried to have fun?"

"…" He glanced upward, his mouth pursed but slightly open and loose. "In the Orthodox Church, everyone has the same hair color and eyes. Silver and red respectively with the exception of the higher-ups. We were known for our soldier-like attitude amongst the many Churches Installations. Some of them, however, began asking particular questions…"

"… Remember any of them?" Danhauser softly asked.

"How we ended up here?" The former Exorcist instantly answered. "Who are our parents? Sometimes they asked about what it feels to fall in love, play games, and many other things. Whenever someone asked or spoke about those subjects, they were promptly sent into a room that no one dared to enter, including myself." He snickered humorlessly. "They'd stayed there for the whole day, sometimes two—some of them were brave enough to take a peek or eavesdrop, only to be pulled inside, too."

Siegfried's hands started to shake a bit, but he continued. "Whenever they came back, they were different from what we knew from them. No one questioned it, we didn't want to face the same thing, we just stayed quiet, but deep inside, the questions bombarded us…"

"They were brainwashed," Danhauser answered.

"Those were one of my many assumptions," Siegfried massaged his temple.

 _"He looked frustrated, trying to articulate it, but I could still see his point."_ Danhauser stayed silent, he didn't obviously know the answer to that question, even if he had read the Lights Novels, much to his surprise and chagrin. He could only awkwardly pat his knight's shoulder, offering a small sign of comfort. "They're hiding something."

The Heir looked back at the quieter Knight, retracting his hand. "In other words, you're following orders?"

Siegfried nodded nimbly.

Danhauser hummed and stood up, dusting his pants. "I see." He looked at his Knight with a smile. "I order you to have fun, then."

Siegfried wore a puzzled expression.

Belial chose to ignore it. "What? Have you forgotten who your leader is?" Danhauser asked with a small chuckle. "You don't have to follow their orders, not anymore."

His mind was still a surging perplexity.

Danhauser, however, continued. "Stand up and let's go with the others. I promised Tobio that I'll crush him in any game, but..." He shot him a wink. "… If you order now, I'll throw in a second beating only for you, absolutely free."

Siegfried let his words sink in, suddenly finding himself leaning back on his seat, laughing heartily.

Finally, waving his apology, he stood up with a grin. "Just because you're my Master doesn't mean I need to hold back against you, as the descendant of a Heroic Figure, I can't just back down from a challenge, even if I'm at a disadvantage."

"Let's see what the future _Strongest Swordsman_ can do, then."

* * *

He walked through the list of places she could be in his mind, checking off the ones he had already searched. As he gazed around the building. As much fun he had with his Peerage, Sae Toujou, and Valerie Tepes, it was the time to return back to the Belial Territory and ready themselves for any incoming attacks from either the Agency or Hexennacht.

"Bova told me she was around here," Danhauser softly yawned as his eyes darted from empty Arcade Machines to one full of teenagers.

He frowned when sights of her haven't made it in his vision. Then it occurred to him that you often find something as you tidy up. He sifted and sorted his eyes were constantly on the look-out for any gorgeous blonde girl that might be part of the picture frame he was looking for.

Lucky him, his head at least is now finally healed, no headache that appeared whenever it pleases.

"There she is," Danhauser curved an eyebrow after catching sight of her, he began walking. "Never thought she'd be interested in that game."

"Claw machine, eh?" Danhauser said, standing beside her. "I see these games more of trying to empty out your pockets than rewarding you."

He looked beside him, wincing after regarding the small scowl featured on her face. "Sorry, never meant to scare you."

Valerie inhaled, parting her hand away from her heart. "It is fine." She assured him, focusing on the cabinet again.

Danhauser folded his arms, gesturing at the plush toys. "One of them peeked your interest?"

"… Yes." Valerie responded uncertainly.

Danhauser grinned and shifted his hands to the glass, even with that horrendous background of hers, she's still a curious girl from the inside.

He blinked those thoughts away, focusing on the toys. "Which one? The cute dog? Or the little pig with a hat? Or perhaps the princess with—!"

"The spider with a skull on it."

"…Oh." Danhauser located the plush toy, just as she'd said, it was a fluffy, black tarantula but with a white, skull-like drawn on the abdomen. "Huh, the Skulltula?"

Valerie tilted her head, moving closer to the cabinet. "Skulltula?"

"Yeah," the gray-haired yanked his palms away. "It's from a video game I played long ago. Good times."

"I see."

"Right," Danhauser drawled with pursed lips.

…

An idea popped into his mind, he brought a hand inside his pocket, paying no mind at Valerie's constant side-glances.

Finally, he pulled his wallet, shaking it at her. "Let's give it a shot, shall we?"

"…" The Dhampir just blinked those, dark, red orbs that tweaked with curiosity as the Devil inserted a single coin.

Danhauser wrapped a hand around the joystick, giving it a few pulls to the side to test it. Nodding in acceptance, he began hunting after the stuffed arachnid.

"Do you know how to play this game, Mr. Belial?" Valerie questioned, eyes locked on the metallic claw.

Danhauser playfully winked at her. "If my brother is known as the _Emperor of the Rating Game_ , then I am the _Emperor of the Claw Crane_."

Valerie scoffed in response, though she was sporting a small grin.

"How was your night yesterday?" Danhauser asked without looking away from the game. "Hopefully no ghosts trying to tickle your feet?"

"It was alright," Valerie responded with a shrug. "Unfortunately, a single spirit still decided to make its presence known."

Danhauser paused the claw, slowly resuming. "I never heard your screams."

"Because I didn't," the doll affirmed. "I knew this one from quite a time now, they're different from others."

The Devil spared her a quick side-glance. "Really now?" He noted her cute hum. "What makes it different then?"

"They never asked for freedom," the blonde girl replied, chewing her lip. "They just keep babbling with that distorted, fearful voice, almost impossible to understand, sketchy messages, describing me… a weird creature."

"A creature?"

"A creature," she repeated. "A massive monstrosity as big as a mountain, multiple, _colossal_ wings that could hide the sun and bring forth dark times, for each step, _earthquakes_ and _volcanoes_ fissures ripped open in response to its tyranny." She took a pause. "They always called it Beast."

"…"

"…"

"…"

The blonde girl continued watching how the claw began descending after the toy and makes an attempt to grip it… only to grab the air.

The teenagers saw the claw move over an opening in the corner of the case and release absolutely nothing.

…

"Wow," Valerie feigned awe. "Your remarkable skills are truly showing off, _Emperor of the Claw Crane_."

"Ha-ha," Danhauser glared whilst breaking into a sudden smile as he tucked another coin. _"How...?"_

Once again, he targeted the very same toy, his thumb teasingly caressing the trigger button as the claw awaited for next orders.

As if an omnipotent being snapped their impatience, Danhauser pressed the button and observed the claw dived hungrily after the toy, successfully snatching it from the ground.

"Done and done," Danhauser mentally patted himself on the back, observing the claw discarded the prize into the opening and dispensed through a chute into a hatch for collection.

Belial dropped to a knee and took his reward, slowly standing up. "You know? It looks nice," he commented, carefully inspecting the Skulltula. _"As much as I hate insects…"_

"Congratulations," Valerie said with a cramped smile. "I take my words back, you are good playing with this machine."

Danhauser watched the toy then at the girl, repeating the same action before shaking his head. "I was just joking. The Claw Machine is a game of luck, that's all." He smiled and offered the fluffed tarantula, shaking it. "Take it, it's all yours."

Her eyes widened slightly, pointing to herself. "… Pardon me?"

"You told me you liked it, right?" Danhauser never waited for her response, rubbing his neck. "Then take it as a memory of this time, or… yeah."

Valerie gave a wry look, her arms reluctantly went after the toy, gripping it. "I...I am uncertain what to say. You must wish something in return, certainly."

Danhauser waved her off. "It's simply a present. For you."

The Dhampir hummed discreetly, hugging the spider closer to her chest and sniffing it quickly. "I have... never received a gift. Not one that did not also come with a price attached."

She looked up at him. "Perhaps there is a price to pay, yet?" She chuckled sardonically but gave the warmest smile she could shape. "Ehehehe… If so, its deserved. Thank you, truly."

"No problem," Danhauser gave an awkward cough. "It's time to go back to the manor, Valerie, are you ready?"

Valerie nodded softly. "Right behind you, Mr. Belial."

* * *

…

…

…

"Is that all, Danhauser?" The black-haired woman asked, sitting in the middle of her own bed whilst facing her youngest son.

"Yes, mother," Danhauber Belial shuffled on the sofa and nodded, looking back at those red, narrowed eyes of hers. "I'm fighting a group of terrorist and Stray Magicians with the help of Mephisto Pheles, Valerie Tepes, and my Peerage. I speak the truth and only the truth."

"…" Calcabrina Belial kept her blank expression. "You killed someone?"

He looked away from her gaze, finding comfort in his shoes. "… Yes. Two Magicians and a lion. It was all self-defense, I swear."

For a second he thought Calcabrina was about to get loud, vent, blows off her steam and press Danhauser's guilt buttons without mercy. He was colored impressed when his mother slipped from the bed and left without a word. When she'd closed the door, he felt his face morph into relief, then fear, and finally curiosity.

He doesn't understand why. Why is he still afraid of her? Gilles of Rais is a different case, but why her of all people? He had fought a dragon multiple occasions, a group of terrorists, a Longinus User with Holy Flames, he even looked at Rudiger Rosenkreutz in the eye! But against her? He felt like a scolded dog. It made him feel pathetic.

He looked up at the door when a soft click echoed across the gigantic room, it was his mother walking casually with her longed trident on her clenched hand.

Danhauser stirred and gulped.

Calcabrina traced her finger over the black painting of the weapon. "School is over until further notice. From Monday to Friday in the morning, you'll be training with your spear and Malebranche trait with me. Afternoon, you'll be under the care of your brother or go with your Peerage. You choose."

Danhauser was white as a chalk. He rapidly shook his head. "Wait, what? Why are you doing this?"

Lady Belial curved an eyebrow, spinning her trident. "Because my brother isn't going to come here for a long time. Your mastery over the spear and your Malebranche Clan Trait will decrease drastically."

"Not that," Danhauser gaped. "Aren't… aren't you not going to scold me, punish me or something?"

Calcabrina laughed bitterly. "Castigate you on what, exactly? For killing people to save your skin? Dear, your behavior differs from other teenagers. You only train, interact with us and sleep the rest of the day, there's nothing I can forbid you to do." She paused, staring deeply. "You want me to prohibit you from getting stronger? I can't because you need it now than ever… I'm just disappointed."

Danhauser felt his heart twist. "I… I don't know what to say."

"Then don't address the subject and move on to the next one," She said firmly. "What I want to know next is what's your wish? What do you want to become when you become a full adult?"

"My wish?" Danhauser parroted, eliciting a nod from his mother. "I don't have a wish, but I have two goals. I want to become a Super Devil." He noticed her eyes stretching. "… and I want to be the next Champion of the Rating Games."

"… Like Diehauser and Malacoda, you'll compete in the Rating Games." She muttered to herself, almost disappointed. "Becoming a Super Devil is by sheer training, but become the next Champion? You understand that you'll have to defeat your brother and his Peerage filled with the third most powerful team right behind Beelzebub and Lucifer?"

Danhauser rubbed his neck. "I understand."

Calcabrina heaved a sigh. "Then let us jump quickly to the next topic… a nickname."

Danhauser curved an eyebrow, arms folded. "I already have a nickname, its _Dan_ or _Danny_."

His mother shook her head. "Those are more of an affectionate nickname between close ones. What are we seeking is a nickname that makes you known in the Underworld. Your brother is known as _The Emperor of the Rating Games_. Malacoda is infamously known as _Evil Tail_. Gilles? _Bluebeard_. Myself? _Grace Stomper_ …"

"I see," Danhauser bit his cheek, tapping his chin whilst putting his mind to work.

He snapped his fingers. "How about _Dan the Man_?"

Calcabrina deadpanned. "No."

Danhauser winced. "Fine. Give me some time, please."

…

…

…

It took him a while before cracking into a small laugh.

The raven-haired gazed at him confusedly. "What is it?"

"I think I have one." Her son slowly perked up from the sofa, facing her. "How about _Heir of the Rating Game_?"

Lady Belial blinked unexpectedly. "Huh, what a cocky title." She planted her trident in the floor, arms folded beneath her bust. "What makes you think you'll be the next Champion?"

"I'm a Belial," he said.

Calcabrina looked amused. "Good enough." Her expression dropped and quickly ripped half of her long skirt, exposing her endowed legs.

"Mom!" Danhauser looked away, raising a hand to hide the woman before him. "W-what are you doing?"

She tossed the shredded silk behind her shoulder. "My dress is long and it prevents me from moving faster." She sat on her bed and struggled on pulling out her high-heels. "If I had my full-body outfit then things would be so different."

 _"Well, at least her underwear isn't showing."_ Danhauser sighed.

With the last grunt, she raised her footwear to eye level, glaring. _"I hate these_ so _much."_ She stood barefoot, hands over her hips. "… These are the rules, you will not call me mother during our sparrings, I am Calcabrina _Malebranche_ , not _Belial_. Understood?"

"Yes, moth… Lady."

Calcabrina pursed her lips. "… I'll be honest with you. I don't like the idea of you participating in the Rating Games …" She gritted her teeth, harshly yanking the trident out from the floor. "… How both Peerages injured one another for the pleasure of the spectators, those bastards, and to think half of the family is involved."

"…"

She pushed a few locks behind her ear. "Like Malacoda and Diehauser, I won't support you nor watch any games you participate."

Danhauser never had the change of speaking, quickly moving aside just in time to narrowly evade the incoming swing of his mother. "What the hell!" He crouched to dodge the next one. "W-wait! I don't have a spear with me!"

Calcabrina never hesitated her attacks. "Mistake number one, Danhauser! Always carry your weapon!"

 _"This crazy old—!"_ Danhauser yelped when he tripped on the bed, rolling to avoid decapitation at the hands of his mother.

His butt and hands dragged him into the nearest wall, he clutched tightly the sheets underneath him. "You almost killed me!"

Calcabrina chuckled quietly, the glint on her orbs sent a chill on his spine. "Good thing the Sephiroth Graal is here, hmm?"

He felt the sweat on his temple. _"Want to play that way?"_ He bent his leg whilst his mother readied her weapon. "Fine by me!"

Faster than he could ever blink, Danhauser rocketed his feet at Calcabrina's cheek and to his surprise, the woman was sent flying into an obstruction, cobwebs had been formed on the wall after her landing.

"Shit," Danhauser watched wide-eyed as she fell limply on the floor. He carefully moved out of his bed, gulping. "Hey, mom are you—!"

"You have good reflexes," Calcabrina complimented, slowly picking herself up. "But you're holding yourself back. You can't soften your attacks against your foes."

She rolled her neck and spat a small drop of blood, taking a fighting stance. "Get ready."

Danhauser watched his own reflection in her blood-red eyes, in attempts to see if she's just making a mere jest.

She's a crazy woman.

So crazy that this training could become handy.

Danhauser took a deep breath and nodded gravely, snapping his fingers as multiples ripples formed behind him, different constructions slowly aiming at her threateningly.

"Right," he said, quietly. "I'll make sure you regret this."

* * *

 **Congratulations for those who founded the reference.**

 **Yeah, not gonna lie. When I was making this story, I was thinking on nicknaming Danhauser "Dan the Man." That was until I asked my family and friends thoughts. Holy damn, that was one of my biggest regrets of all times.**

 **But seeing this on a good light. Their reactions were good enough to make me think this deep in thought. I will not use it. I fucking cringed when I said it loudly. Maybe I will, but not taking it seriously.  
**

 **So, I went with the "Heir of the Rating Game." Yeah, I'm not really that good making nicknames, who knows? In the future maybe I will.**

 **Nothing else to say here. Cheers.**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: One Thing After Another.  
**


	18. One Thing After Another

**Chapter 18: One Thing After Another  
**

* * *

Danhauser Belial felt the air within him puff up his chest slightly. Slowly releasing a soft and gentle sigh—almost lost in the deepest parts of his brain. Sitting leg crossed in the middle of the couch, hands clutching tightly at his knees as he kept squinting his eyes tightly in search of something, jaw firmly locked.

It had been estimated a week since his fight against the Walpurgis, mostly the strongest member, Walburga. A fight that Belial barely survived if it wasn't for the element of surprise. Out of all the Sacred Gear users, it had to be the one manipulating the purple flames.

Soon after that, he and his peerage wasted time at the Arcade Store with Siegfried constantly gloating about his victory against Tobio in a racing game, much to the brunet's dismay. Danhauser knew deep inside that from all of his teammates, the former exorcist was the one who had fun the most.

After that, his mother, Calcabrina Belial, thought it'd be a great idea to cling on his back by training him with a spear and over the Malebranche Trait, something he noted is that between his brother and mother, the latter doesn't hold back, at all.

Sometimes, the thought of Calcabrina trying to blow off some anger during their sparrings has crossed his mind a few times, he wouldn't be surprised, after all, he'd never told his mother the relationship between him and the Agency.

Luckily, he has the time to pay some attention to the Sage Arts, speaking of which, his mastery over Senjutsu is perhaps…

Hmm.

He was having so much trouble. He never discovered the main issue from the book that Sae Toujou had translated for him. The worst part is that whenever he focused on releasing his supposed ki, he felt something leaking from his body, an aura of sorts, but it was just his demonic power responding. It's like his devilish aura is trying to impede him from progressing, a warning or worse, a threat.

Danhauser, of course, paid it no mind.

Invoking Demonic Energy was far easier than invoking Senjutsu. Since a Devil is already born with his abilities because of the parental genes. Meanwhile, Senjutsu is fighting to make a connection with the earth and hoping for the best.

The worst part is that sometimes he would just fall asleep on the spot, worsening his hopes of attaining it.

 _"Patience,"_ Danhauser furrowed deeper his clenched eyes. _"Focus and Patience…!"_

"So, are you going to stick like that for another hour?" A feminine, familiar voice asked whilst poking his cheek. "Y'know, you've been in that position for one or two."

Danhauser's eyelids unwillingly pulled themselves open, instantly identifying the culprit's finger playfully tracing circles in the air. He closed them again. "Maybe."

He felt the stare of his cousin trying to make her way inside his head. She stuck with a neutral hum, taking a seat beside him. "Wanna share it with the world?"

"I'm trying to learn Senjutsu," he replied after taking a deep breath. "That's why I bought a flowerpot, to make a plant grow."

Cleria Belial fought the urge to sigh. "Ah." She bobbed her head. "So now you want to become a Buddha? Super."

The tone of her voice wasn't unheard, he chose to ignore it. "No, I'm mostly learning it to have a better control, in the future. Of my True Form."

Her eyebrow arched slightly. "How is Sage Arts gonna help you out?"

Danhauser slowly opened his eyes, taking a distant look at his flowerpot, he clicked his tongue disapprovingly. _"I should stop and take a small rest, it's no use doing the same thing and expecting nothing in return."_

 _"No progress at all. Unlucky."_ Slowly he let his feet descend on the floor, stretching his sore toes as he did so. "It's just a small theory of mine. Senjutsu, in a nutshell, allows you to handle energy spirit. True Form is practically our spirit. So, if I manipulate Senjutsu excellently I can have a greater control over my True Form and who knows? Maybe it'll last longer."

"So, you're just making that up?"

Danhauser spared a quick glance at her alluring gray eyes, scratching the side of his face with a digit. "Well, in a way, yes—but!" He brought a finger up. "… It makes sense… sort of...?"

If Sairaorg Bael in the future can trigger Breakdown the Beast, without endangering his life-span, because of Touki. The why can't True Form work in the same way?

Heck, even Koneko Toujou with her Shirone Mode!

Cleria could notice in his eyes how unsure he was."What if it doesn't?" she asked.

"I won't be mad, just disappointed," Danhauser hesitated on shrugging. "I mean, I'll have Senjutsu as a second method to defend myself. There's Touki, too."

She stared at him for a long moment. It was honestly really unnerving. He tried to meet it, but he knew he wasn't going to win a staring contest with her.

Finally, Cleria shook her head away with a laugh. "I can't believe it. Someone from your age already fighting a bunch of terrorists… not even Diehauser faced the same consequences as you, must be difficult for you, huh?"

Danhauser frowned, her words didn't carry any negative nor positive emotions, but deep inside he knew she was as concerned as the House of Belial.

He shifted like he wanted to cross his arms, but failed, so in place of looking defensive looked stiffly and vulnerable. "... _Yep._ A pain in the ass to be honest."

Cleria yanked his ear, pouting. "No swear words!"

The Heir massaged his redden earlobe, wincing. "Sorry, it slipped out."

Her gaze softened. "It's fine…" She faced the television, glaring at their reflections. "Your calendar is already filled with a lot of stuff, right?"

Danhauser just nodded, careful on casting a quick glance at the slumping beauty. He pursed his lips, awkwardly rubbing a single shoulder. "But… I think I have time to stay here with you if you want..."

The look of joy on her face was kind of heartbreaking.

"Awesome!" Cleria declared as she leaped out of the sofa, now standing in front the shelf, where most of her books are.

Danhauser blew out a refreshing sigh and moved his arms behind the sofa, watching the bewitching beautiful woman swap from book to book.

That was until a thought clouded his mind. He opened his mouth. "Hey, Cleria?"

She never looked back but answered regardless. "What is it, Danny?"

"How's your personal life in Kuoh going?" Danhauser asked, noticing her freezing just a millisecond. "Like, making new friends, doing sports…" he lowered his voice. "… Finding a boyfriend…?"

Cleria spun and planted her hands on her hips, grinning. "Is my little Danny getting jelly-jealous that I may find my other half~?"

Danhauser rolled his eyes. "I'll take that as a no then."

Cleria stuck her tongue out with a wink. "Let's begin!" She hopped back on the sofa, legs crossed. "You better get ready! This will be the best day of your life!"

Danhauser forced a smile and laid deeper on his seat. _"…Where are you, Masaomi?"_ He bit back a growl. He never had the chance to keep an eye on the Exorcists around Kuoh Town. Just as his cousin had said, his agenda is already filled with problems, the biggest issue being the Utsusemi.

 _"When I'm done with that Agency, I'll find him,"_ He vowed whilst shaking his head and focusing on the TV'S screen.

"Hey, Danny, where's your Peerage?" Cleria asked, searching through the pages of her small book. "Are they delivering flyers?"

"No," Danhauser replied. "Since we're facing off against the Agency and Hexennacht, and we don't know much of their members at all, I don't want them to sign up contracts until we stop them."

"You're afraid of them getting ambushed by just being summoned inside their quarters… Huh, I get it now." Cleria trailed off, coughing behind a fist. "Okay! Let's lighten the mood! Shall we?"

Danhauser blinked. "Wait, what?"

"How many tickles does it take to tickle a squid?" She read aloud, grinning childishly. " _TenTickles_."

"… What is that?"

"A joke book!" Cleria replied cheerfully, resuming her reading. "Volume two. I always talk to snakes when I need help with social studies. They're experts at ancient _hisssssstory_."

"… Can we play video games?"

"Why did the vampire cross the road?" Cleria asked. "They didn't! Vampires are afraid of crosses! Ha! Hahahaha!"

"Mmm-hmm."

"A book just fell on my head, I only have myself to blame—!" She facepalmed with a nervous laugh. "No, crap, I read that wrong! A book just fell on my head—I only have my _shelf_ to blame. Hahaha… I screwed up."

"…"

"Ooh, you'll love this one!" She ignored her cousin's groans. "I used to be a carpenter, but I accidentally put a wooden post in the wrong place. It was my first miss _stake!_ "

"That's cringy."

"You're cringy." She shot back, closing her book, much to his relief. "Alright, alright. I'm done… _for now_."

Not a single word was spoken after that. Danhauser fought to find a comfortable position. It was quiet, but not in a bad way. Cleria seemed happy with the companionable silence.

* * *

Danhauser Belial gaped when his body cut in half a tree, rolling roughly on the grass as he fought the pain licking his spine.

His eyes, however, widened when a roar that shook the skies pierced his ears, instantly crawling aside just in time to dodge the claws.

The gray youth quickly stood up, paying little attention to the injury over his back. With a finger's snap, multiple demonic ripples responded to his will, launching his spells over the gargantuan creature.

The purple Dragon grunted, lifting both arms up and blocking most of the incoming projectiles with ease. Some of them, however, inflicted damage.

The dragon's tail flashes out of nowhere, coming at Belial like a falling tree from the snow.

Danhauser obliged tanking the blow right to the chest, sending him hurling back through the air. When he landed, he's left gasping for breath, feeling like his chest has been completely crushed by the impact.

Staggering on his feet, Danhauser spotted the beast rushing at him in all fours, like a bull seeing red.

He took a vicious swing at Bova with the strength behind his knuckles, smacking him upside the head and sending him reeling in agony.

Now that the tables temporally turned around, Danhauser lunged forward and took a firm grip over Bova's horns, lifting his aching head before smashing him down. Hard and _twice_.

Danhauser took a step back and dropped on the grass, resting his back against a tree.

He filled his lungs as much as he could. "A-are you done?" He breathed out.

Still lying on the floor, Bova Tannin snarled. "… Never!"

 _"You stubborn dragon,"_ The Heir fought back a groan, watching Tannin's son shakily pulling himself off the ground, only to land harshly on it once more.

"D-Damn…! W-Why I can't stand up?!" Bova angrily snapped. "Stupid legs! Come on!"

"Maybe because you've reached your limit." Bova heard from behind, too drained to turn his neck around. "I mean, you guys punched one another for _two_ and a half hours!"

Unlike the winged reptilian, Danhauser had the perfect view of the Japanese boy as he weakly ran a palm over his sweaty temple. "Y-yeah, you're right, Tobio… I think we overdid it, don't you think, Bova?"

The dragon puffed his cheeks out. "No."

Belial just slipped a pained chuckle. "Expected that answer _miles_ away." He tried to stand up, only to be stopped by a pale hand over his shoulder, pushing him down.

Danhauser looked up at the quiet hybrid, the girl getting on her knees. "Truly, I should start following my father's wise words from now on."

He sighed contently when his muscles relaxed. "Care to share them with the class?"

Valerie Tepes met his gaze. "If you're good at something, never _ever_ do it for free."

Danhauser snorted. "What? Shelter and resources aren't good enough for the young lady?" He countered, teasingly. "Or maybe she has something else in mind?"

"Let me see," she paused on her work to fiddle with her light-blonde, pigtail. "I would expect a favor. Perhaps you would be willing to pay gratitude and a compliment? Is that too much, hmm?"

Danhauser curved an eyebrow albeit with a smile. "Thank you, Valerie. Your abilities are beyond this world."

She rolled her eyes in return, a small, wry smirk on display. "I _suppose_ stating the obvious will have to do. Ehehehe…"

Finally, the Romanian went after the wounded dragon who grunted his gratitude.

"I honestly cannot understand," Siegfried sighed, offering a hand. "Wouldn't it be wise to at least fight him when he wasn't reincarnated as your Rook?"

"Where's the fun in that?" Danhauser accepted the hand, the Knight lifting him up. "Besides, I did promise Bova that I would fight him or not, big guy?"

"Yeah," Bova agreed, stretching his recovered muscles. He grinned at Danhauser. "I wanted it to last longer to the point of losing consciousness, but you've proved yourself worthy of following. Plus I smell thousands of battles coming—we'd better not run out of enemies."

"Don't worry about that," Danhauser patted the Third Son of Tannin. "They're practically lining up for the job."

"Everyone gets a turn. Heh! Wouldn't want it any other way!" The dragon boomed a laugh after flexing his arms out. He sent a small glare. "Since now I'm on your team, I think it's time to share my goal with each one of you." He took a deep breath. "I want to become a Heavenly Dragon!"

Danhauser frowned. "I just made you a reincarnated Devil."

The beast slammed a fist into his palm. "Damn, you're right." He pondered for a bit before shattering into a huge grin. "Then in terms of power, I'll reach Heavenly Dragon Class!"

"Heavenly Dragon?" Tobio Ikuse parroted confusedly.

"The highest rank of a Dragon," Siegfried answered. "So far, if history serves right, two Dragons have attained such strength. Ddraig and Albion. They're the strongest dragons so far."

 _"Ophis and Great Red disapprove,"_ Danhauser held back spitting the words out. He doesn't know if the existence of the Dragon of Infinite and Dragon of Dreams are known by those who discovered the Supernatural World.

If Danhauser wasn't incorrect, only the leaders of their respective factions and members of Khaos Brigade so far knows about such entities.

"Heh! It'll take time, alright? My old man's bones will be in a museum before I could reach it!" Bova's fists trembled enthusiastically. "First I'll help you claim your title as Champion of the Rating Game, and then we'll fight with everything we have in us!" He flapped his wings excitedly. "Heh-heh-heh! That day will become glorious!"

Danhauser never had the chance to respond when a magical circle uncloaked beside his ear, startling everyone. **[Good afternoon, Danhauser. Hopefully, you're having a great day.]**

The heir broke into a smile after recalling the old, gruff voice. "Director, it's nice to hear from you."

Mephisto Pheles scoffed. **[Don't call me like that, boy. We're not in a meeting between higher Magicians.]**

"As you wish," Danhauser shrugged, carefully pushing the magic circle close to his ear. "Huh, you need to show me this trick."

 **[When this stupid war is over, maybe I will.]** Mephisto jokingly replied, before sighing tiredly. **[While I would love to rant how shitty my morning was, I'm here because of the Agency.]**

Danhauser's smile dropped. "Of course. Just give me a second," he turned to his Peerage. "Keep training guys while I speak with Mephisto."

"Are you going to fill us in when you're done?" Tobio asked.

"Of course I am," The gray Devil responded. "This is about the Utsusemi and Hexennacht. I need you all to be informed."

Tobio never had the chance to reply back, too busy on dropping to the floor just to save his head from the gigantic tail.

"What the hell!" Tobio shouted, rolling backward to dodge the crushing feet of Bova. "W-what are you doing you, idiot?!"

Bova just grinned goofily. "Heh-heh-heh! What? You forgot what Danhauser said? It's training time!" He saw movement coming under him, flying backward just in time to evade the huge blade that came from the shadow of his feet!

Bova looked up, Jin stood between him and Tobio, a blade slowly sprouting from its forehead and the Fake God took a fighting stance, growling.

"You just literally were restored by Valerie and you still want to spar," Siegfried plainly pointed out, invoking his Sacred Gear and standing beside Canis Lykaon. "… Even so, I'm tempted to see how many swings you can withstand after absorbing the Rook Piece."

Bova opened his mouth and fired a torrent of fire in the sky. He was deliriously happy, giddy even, his tail dancing around was a dead giveaway. He never spoke, just copying the posture of an angry gorilla and rushing at them without hesitation.

"…" Valerie watched how they faded deeper into the woodland. "Ah, phenomenal. Forest again. And here I thought we left the wilds for good… apparently, I was mistaken."

Danhauser held back a chuckle when her shoulders slumped, the girl calmly chasing after them. He focused on the old geezer again. "Sorry for the long absence."

 **[Everything's fine, boy.]** Mephisto assured him. **[I'll make it fast. The Agency finally made their move, again.]**

It took a while for Danhauser's brain finally spark in understanding. He scowled. "You think?"

 **[…]** A long silence came from the Grauzauberer's Chairman on the other end, Belial would've thought he already lost signal if it wasn't for the cold response. **[Danhauser, the bereaved families of the missing students are leaving Ryuukou Town.]**

They both fell silent.

"…What?" Danhauser finally regained some of his senses. "No, no. Maybe… maybe they're trying to start anew somewhere safe? Leave their past behind? Right…? Right?"

 **[We both know what's really happening.]** Mephisto remarked sharply. **[It's so convenient that only the deprived families are mysteriously changing from residences.]**

"I haven't seen or at least heard from my cousin about new people mixing themselves in with Kuoh Town," Danhauser pointed out. "So Kuoh Town is out of the map on this." He balled his trembling fists. "But how…? I made sure to keep an eye out on the town!"

 **[One by one.]** The blue-red-haired devil dryly replied. **[They made sure to keep a low profile although they slowly fished them out of the town.]** Danhauser heard him growl. **[Shockingly enough, since the Luxury Case Incident, this outrageous story of mass dispersal has not been perceived by the media.]**

Danhauser sucked his breath and ran his hand through his grayish hair. "I-I..." he was lost for words. "I don't know what to do, I'm so sorry."

 **[Good thing I've formulated a plan.]**

Danhauser sighed as relief washed over his body. "Thank Maou…" he coughed behind his fist, nodding. "Alright, let's hear it."

The heterochromatic Devil harrumphed, Danhauser could easily picture Mephisto's proud smirk on his mind. **[Are you ready to meet a Faustus?]**

* * *

An intersection branches off from the long, main road of the town, heading west towards the gubernatorial hub. A few parked vehicles throughout the road, going from the gates southward to the bigger residential buildings to the north.

A small alley leads down from the street and to a door on a small brown building with a neon sign out front announcing it as the town's Mead Hall.

There are several groups of people on the porch that surrounds the building, some of them leaning against the exterior wall, many sitting in chairs organized next to barrels that upon convenient examination are revealed to have games of Poker or Blackjack.

How quaint.

"Is it here?" Tobio Ikuse broke the silence.

"…" Danhauser spared a brief glance at the paper in his hand. "… It has to be, Mephisto Pheles assured me this was her location."

Slash Dog hummed in response, arms folded. "Huh, never expected a Mead Hall in Japan."

"I would do a similar thing," Siegfried idly commented. "The inn shines among the others, maybe because of the Germanic-esque architecture. It could sprout the attention of many tourists and Japanese alike, excellent for business."

"Alright, makes sense to me," the brunet responded with a shrug. "It's just the place caught me by surprise. That's all."

"…" Valerie Tepes adjusted the bag across her shoulder whilst studying the exterior of the bar. "Hmm. So this is the place where most people drunkenly share their laments with strangers?"

"Pretty much," replied Danhauser.

"Lovely." She remarked. "There's no fool like a drunken fool. My father told me that once, I think it's time to see if his words carried wisdom."

Valerie's bag began shaking until a reptilic, purple face poked out from it. "I smell another Devil around here, they're not here, but maybe not so far away."

"Perhaps spying on us?" Siegfried suggested, red eyes flying from corner to corner.

"Whatever, we'll break their bones when we find them," Bova grunted. "Can we move already? I'm starting to get bored."

"Sure. If that Devil appears, we'll fight him. We outnumber him, stay sharp." The Heir ordered. "Alright, let's move inside, and please, don't do anything stupid."

Everyone nodded.

* * *

Live piano music and the chatter of patrons filled their ears the moment Danhauser Belial twisted the knob open.

The bar has a much calmer, friendlier atmosphere than Danhauser ever thought, he was even imagining a bar fight exploding the moment they entered. Luckily, they're able to find an empty table thanks to the help of the beautiful hostess on the door. Surprisingly, all the staff seems to have the appearance of actors and actresses. The benefits of an Anime world.

Further inside, he saw dozens of circular wooden tables with matching wooden chairs arranged around them, most of them occupied by happy bar-goers. He also noted a staircase for a subfloor, where workers of the building were seen constantly going down.

For an unknown the reason, he felt warmer than before, not to the brisk of sweating bullets, but he wouldn't be too surprised if he'd already reached that stage.

"We're in." Tobio Ikuse relaxed in his seat. "This place looks better than I expected."

"You can repeat that again, Mr. Ikuse," Valerie's dark, red eyes wandered all around the furniture. "I was expecting to see one or two corpses spread on the floor. Maybe human cultures are really _that_ diverse, after all."

"What," Tobio flatly asked.

"The parties in the Tepes Castle. The host always dies. Naturally, it happens at the end, maybe we need to remain patient."

"It also happens with my race," Bova Tannin's muffled voice came from the bag. "Good times."

"That sounds quite interesting, actually," Siegfried nodded at Tobio. "Wasn't Jin beside you?"

Slash Dog lazily pointed at his own shadow. "Jin's in there." His light-gray eyes instinctively wandered over the bar with a glint of interest. "I wonder if they have sake…?"

Danhauser frowned at him. "You are fifteen years old, you can't drink."

The brunet scoffed. "You're not my dad."

"Correct. I'm your King." Danhauser shot back.

Tobio groaned out. "Come on! I wasn't going to drink it right now! We're on a mission after all!" His lips pursed, scratching his neck. "… But you know, buying a _bottle_ wouldn't affect anybody… and I'm willing to share it."

"No thanks, but I prefer beer. _German_ beer."

"I appreciate the gesture, Mr. Ikuse, but I am a devotee of wine."

"Am I the only one who doesn't drink alcohol?" Danhauser mumbled to himself.

"I don't," Bova confirmed, carefully poking his head out from the bag. "I prefer apple juice. Taste's good."

"I see," finally, Belial stood up, "I'll go search for Mephisto's student, be right back."

Just mere steps were enough for Danhauser to stand in front the bartender, catching the man by surprise, his mug-cleaning hand going still as an eyebrow perk upward, curiously.

The gray youth took a seat and began awkwardly rapping his fingers along the bartop. "Uh, hello there. Have you seen a foreign girl with long blonde hair? They told me I could find her here."

The barkeeper broke into a knowing smirk, focusing on the mug between his hands once more. "I think I have an idea who you're talking about." He placed the cleaned mug away, his smirk evolving into a grin. "After all, the place is full because of her."

Danhauser blinked. "Really now?" He saw him nod. "Why?"

The man chuckled and gestured behind the Devil. "Why don't you see for yourself?"

Conveniently the piano in the background suddenly stopped and changed into a softer tune, eliciting cheers from the crowd.

The Devil looked over his shoulder, mostly at the stage where a girl with the body of a supermodel and an age similar to his became the center of attention, and to his amazement, she began singing.

"We don't know her name," the bartender continued, also enjoying the show. "However, she told us to call her Demise Girl. An unfitting nickname for such a cute face."

"…" Danhauser never answered back, focused on the girl whom Mephisto Pheles has spoken highly about. _"…So this is what she looks like. She's beautiful."_

Looking up, the lovely young lady met his gaze with warm, sapphire-colored eyes and shot him a welcoming smile before addressing her audience.

"Thank you for your time," Danhauser hopped off his seat and moved back to his distracted Peerage.

Siegfried was the first one to welcome him. "Ah, Master you're back." He waited for his King to take a seat. "I hope you come with good news?"

"I do, actually," Danhauser smiled, waving his hand to call a waiter. "Our Magician is the exclusive singer. Let's leave her to do her job whilst we eat something and watch the show, shall we?"

Tobio sighed in satisfaction. "Now that's something I can do with no problem!"

Valerie and Siegfried merely nodded meanwhile Bova grunted inside the bag.

* * *

A subfloor to the tavern-proper, this part of the room served to house a giant, circular firepit with hardy seating set all around a roaring fire.

The heat of awful, gigantic flames constantly kissed at their faces as the barely-controlled fire keeps the interior of the tavern pleasantly warm at a radius, but the inferno residing here couldn't be compared to the Purple Flames of a Longinus, pyromaniac user.

"I apologize for its appearance," the Magician gestured to the area, her voice as mature and warm as the nearby fire. "I understand how your race has high standards, but this is the only place I could find to speak privately."

"Everything's fine," Danhauser Belial assured her.

He saw her rigid stance dropping a little, relief washing over her body. Finally, she gently took a seat on a box, motioning to the crates across from her. "Please, sit with me."

Danhauser clashed curious stares with each member of his Peerage before obliging by taking their seats.

"Let's start with some introductions," She sat very ladylike in her box and extended a fair-skinned hand. "My name's Lavinia Reni, Magician of Grauzauberer," her tone was cordial. "But you may call me by my Magical Motto, Soror Demise… but I would prefer Lavinia, if you want, of course."

The Heir looked at the hand for a few moments. "Danhauser Belial," he introduced himself. "A pleasure to meet you, Lavinia."

Lavinia giggled. "My, how nice to speak with such a polite Devil." She shook his hand. Her skin is cool to the touch, and her grip is tame, yet firm. "Yet again, I heard quite a bit from you thanks to Pops."

The gray-haired lifted an eyebrow but chose to ignore it. He gestured to each Peerage member. "These are my teammates. Bova Tannin, Siegfried, Tobio Ikuse and Valerie."

Her eyes darted from one face to the next, until she clashed stares with the former Exorcist and Dhampir. "Don't you two have a last name?"

Taken back, the silver-haired hesitantly shook his head. "… No?"

Valerie weakly shrugged, after all, she doesn't speak Italian.

She hummed thoughtfully before sparing quick glances at the rest of them, breaking into her warm, approachable smile. "I hope we can get along." She chuckled, turning back to Belial. "It's refreshing to finally have someone to sit with after a stressful day."

"Stressful?" Danhauser parroted.

The Magician bit her lip. "The Agency has been a nuisance for us these past days."

Danhauser folded his arms. "So you also fought against them…"

"That we did," Lavinia made a face. "What's worse is that we had never expected the ambush led by Mater Ozma."

"Augusta," Danhauser spat.

"The one and only," She nodded, one could tell the forsaken name dropped her mood. "We were forced to retreat."

"But you're still in one piece," Siegfried pointed out. "I'm baffled you're here with us."

"So am I," said Lavinia, her expression softened up and became blank. "… But in exchange for something else."

That's when it hit him. Danhauser frowned at her choice of words. "We?"

Her gaze went downwards. "… You're not the only one who has fellow members, Danhauser," she breathed out. "… One of them is a cute boy with silver hair, currently, he's searching another teammate… her name is Natsume Minagawa."

 _"Okay, the silver one must be Vali, yes or yes,"_ Danhauser almost laughed, but backed up. _"It seems Mephisto wasn't lying about outside forces joining in… who's the girl, though..."_

"… Natsume Minagawa…" Tobio repeated with a frown, scratching his head. "I don't know when I've heard that name before…"

 _"The name does ring a lot of bells,"_ Danhauser clicked his tongue, strongly searching within his mind. _"Perhaps another character of the Slash Dog Light Novels?"_

While Danhauser kept squeezing his brain juices out, Lavinia faced the brunet with a grim look. "That'd be because she was also a survivor of the Luxury Liner incident."

Slash Dog finally perked up, eyes wide as dinner plates. "What?! I thought Sae and I were the only ones!"

The sapphire-eyed Magician shook her head, gloomily. "She also missed the school trip months ago." She trailed off with a lower voice. "… Unfortunately, she was captured by Augusta and delivered to the Agency."

Tobio could only stare in horror. "No way…"

Valerie scowled in utter annoyance. "Mr. Belial, would you kindly explain to me what she is saying?"

Soror Demise blinked in return. "Excuse me?"

 _"Oh right, Valerie can't translate like us,"_ Danhauser harrumphed. "What Lavinia just said is that a member of her team was kidnapped."

"Ah, I see," The Romanian nonchalantly hummed.

Tobio folded his arms. "As stupid as it sounds… do you have any idea why your friend was captured?"

"…" Lavinia kept her orbs over the Devil and the Dhampir, whatever she was going to ask soon disappeared at the back of her mind. She sighed. "… The Agency is trying to locate the Four Fiends... Natsume has one."

Everyone remained quiet.

"Well, shit," Bova said bluntly.

Siegfried frowned. "They're making progress now…"

"... Interesting." Danhauser felt his collar getting tighter and began pulling it.

Valerie lifted an eyebrow. "Mr. Belial are you alright?"

"… Just give me a second." Danhauser muttered, strongly biting his thumb. _"I fucked up… I've forgotten about her, she was one of the protagonists of Slash Dog… she was supposed to appear by saving Tobio from an Utsusemi! Then that means they also have the other kid? The one with a white cat? Because I took Tobio with me their fates have changed… Fuck me!"_

Danhauser jumped slightly at the hand laced on his shoulder, he immediately perked up.

Lavinia smiled sadly. "This isn't your fault," her squeeze brought comfort. "It's all mine. I shouldn't lower my guard when doing a mission on an unknown ground."

 _"Correction: this is my damn fault,"_ Danhauser took a deep breath. "Everyone makes mistakes. Don't worry, Lavinia."

Lavinia smile was like plastic, false and hard. Nonetheless, she broke her grasp and floated slightly away.

"Yeah!" Tobio kept his optimism up. "I bet there's still a chance that they haven't done anything with her, cheer up!"

Valerie scoffed. "Most unlikely. The moment they'd laid their hands on her, her new life as a puppet began."

Slash Dog glared at the light-blonde. "That was uncalled for, you could try at least to be a _little_ positive."

The half-breed rolled her red eyes. "You can deny my words once, twice, a thousand times. Deep inside you know the girl is _completely_ and _irrevocably_ an Utsusemi."

"Stop it you two," Danhauser raised his voice. He inhaled and exhaled from his nose, facing the confused Faustus. "Sorry about that."

She blinked twice in a row, shaking her head. "Don't worry about it."

Danhauser awkwardly rubbed both hands together. "Either way, we should leave and continue our talk somewhere safer." He began fanning himself, glaring at the flames. "This place is making me sweat already."

"Of course," Lavinia responded with a hat's tip. "Just let me make a quick call to Va and keep him updated."

Bova tilted his head. "Va?"

The Magician merely smiled tenderly before whirling around and floating off, a magic circle shaping around her ear as she did so.

 _"I have a German, a Japanese and an Italian on my team,"_ Danhauser noted. _"I just brought back the Axis Powers. Nice."_

"Boss?" Someone called not so far from him, it was Tobio's voice.

Danhauser faced him properly. "Something wrong, Tobio?"

"I guess we're going back to Ryuukou Town with her and whoever is coming to join her?" He asked, eliciting a nod from the gray-haired Devil. "Well then, we have a huge problem. "

Danhauser lifted his eyebrow. "Which one?"

"Where are we going to sleep? We'll be like eight people in total." Tobio counted. "My apartment is out of place, I barely had space for granny and myself!"

That got his other eyebrow up. "Damn, you're right."

"You're a Devil, are you not?" Valerie stated the obvious. "You could always use your Mind Control on a house owner."

"And put a civilian and their family in the middle of danger?" Siegfried voiced his disapproval. "Forget it."

"I don't care where we sleep honestly," Bova tossed his two cents. "I just want to fight them already!"

That's when Danhauser's fingers snapped together, catching his servant's and Valerie's attention. "Tobio, you think Sae can give us her house?"

Slash Dog's temper glowered. "The hell? You want to put her into this again?"

"Not at all," Danhauser responded. "I just want her property, so we can have a base of operations."

The Japanese was not convinced. "Where's she and her parents going to live then? On an alleyway?"

The Heir of Belial smirked. "I think they'll like Kuoh Town."

* * *

"This is the last room," Tobio Ikuse commented whilst twisting the doorknob open, letting the Devil take a step inside. "This was Sae's room before, you know, sent her to Kuoh a few days ago."

Danhauser Belial lazily gazed around, just like the other rooms, everything was empty with the exception of the bed and a few sheets and pillows lying over it. "How many times have you visited her?"

The brunet heaved a sigh. "I lost the count long ago." He gently closed the door, lying his back over it. He wistfully smiled. "We would always play with her Golden retriever behind the house, good times."

Danhauser hummed, carefully passing his finger over the comfortable pillow. "I see."

Tobio started rubbing the back of his neck. "Hey, boss… back when we fought against the Stray Magicians…"

"…" Danhauser kept listening, making his way to the window. "Yes?"

"Have you killed someone?"

The gray-haired halted his movements, slowly looking over his shoulder. "… Two of them." He admitted shortly, displeased by the question. "And back then with our fight against Kazuhisa, I killed an animal."

Slash Dog quietly whistled. "Damn…" he began kicking the floor awkwardly. "How… how does it feel?"

Danhauser's jaw tightened, looking away. "...Okay."

Tobio winced. "Too much?"

"Too much."

"Sorry, it's just…"

Danhauser shook his head. "Don't apologize, you were just curious. That's all." He pushed the curtains slightly to the side, carefully peeking from the window. "Sae's house will be useful." He spun around, looking at the silent, mutated Knight. "The only cons I have seen so far is that we are short on rooms and…." He slowly smiled. "We have to be barefoot."

The Japanese chuckled. "Suck it up, boss. You gotta respect my people's culture." He then lifted three fingers. "We only have Sae's room, her parent's room, and the guest room, each bedroom with a bathroom of their own."

"Seems we'll be sharing rooms, then," Danhauser informed. "Alright then, we should now—!"

"Master!" Came the familiar voice from the first floor. "They're here!"

"That was fast," Danhauser said aloud, calmly walking at the exit. "Let's give our guests a warm welcome."

"I can't be the only one shaken by the amount of power coming from the main room?" Tobio mumbled to himself while twisting the knob open, letting his King go out first before following from behind.

* * *

There is only a brief landing to kick the air out of nervousness as Danhauser Belial and Tobio Ikuse continued on their way to the staircase. Each step downwards brings them further away from the bedrooms and, instead, to the welcoming, and warm conversations that bring life to the house, thankfully.

From what he listened so far, is Lavinia Reni's sharing the great news of officially speaking with Valerie Tepes properly with something that is akin to Devil's manipulation over language, but a different system. Credit goes to Mephisto Pheles, obviously.

Danhauser scanned the main room briefly, noticing that his Rook was not in sight, much to his surprise, the rest, on the other hand, were close to the sofa respectively. A new face, however, was standing over a distanced wall, arms folded.

"Ah, Danhauser. Tobio." The Magician was the first one to greet them, floating beside the sofa. "This is a beautiful house, is it yours, Tobio?"

"It's the house of a friend of mine," The brunet replied. "Boss bought it."

Lavinia nodded in understanding. "Of course, Danhauser explained everything to me." She turned to the Devil with a small, cute frown. "After all, I've been notified at the last minute to put a magic equation on the moving truck."

Danhauser raised an eyebrow at her gentle scolding. "Sorry for that, but we needed to make sure she made it safely. I'm curious, how did you do it, magic I mean?"

In response, she produced a wooden stick from her breast pocket, watching how it emitted a blue light from its tip. "With this."

"A magic wand…" Tobio whispered in awe, Danhauser swore to see a small glint of doubtfulness in his light-gray eyes as if he wasn't buying her answer, but it instantly disappeared. It seems that here and then, Tobio would like to believe the magic stick is nothing but a farce.

But keeping in mind the circumstances around them and their previous combat, it didn't necessarily seem that this so-called witch was a dumb prank, even less a Halloween costume.

How comforting it would be if it all turned out to be a dream.

Belial watched the girl dismissing her wooden stick. He awkwardly gestured at her clothes. "Is that Grauzauberer's uniform?"

Her mood instantly brightened, spinning around as her white cape followed suit. "It is! Do you like it?"

"Looks great on you," Danhauser complimented, stealing a quick glance at her thigh-high socks. "Love the hat, too."

She tipped her white, pointed hat. "Thank you."

Danhauser turned to the Dhampir. "Valerie, where's Bova?"

"Outside," the light-blonde replied. "I offered the idea of him guarding the entrance since he has an excellent sense of smell."

"As long as Bova is in his miniature form then everything's good," Danhauser commented, finally facing the dark, silver-haired boy. "And who might you be?"

"I was asking that question, too," Siegfried grunted. "But he just kept staring."

"Oh, right!" Lavinia happily applauded, beckoning the boy to get closer. "They're the people we're going to work with against the terrorists, Va. Come and say hello."

Danhauser patiently waited for the child to introduce himself, he obviously knew who he was, his attire, however, was what made his eyebrow jump slightly. He's wearing a scarf around his neck, even when they're in summer. The way he dressed was completely mismatched. He was also small and carried feminine looks. It was as if he was ready to leave elementary school.

This was the Strongest White Dragon Emperor and descendant of the Morning Star, Vali Lucifer.

The silver-haired boy finally rolled a shoulder, making sure the plush toy that resembled a white dragon didn't fall off. "I can sense demonic aura from each one of you. It's weak." He then glanced at Belial with his hazel eyes. "Yours is descent."

Danhauser and Valerie Tepes blinked in unison.

"Why you…!" Siegfried growled, fists clenched.

"Uh… what?" Tobio shrugged off his confusion. "Did the brat just called us weaklings?"

Lavinia gasped and flicked the boy's forehead. "Haven't I told you not to blurt things out of blue?" She chided him. "You're giving a poor impression of yourself, Va."

Vali rubbed his flickered temple. "Hmph! When it comes to meeting someone else first you need to study the other's aura." He said with half-closed eyes. "So far, the gray one is the strongest of them in terms of demonic power."

 _"For someone younger than me, he sure speaks like an adult,"_ Danhauser broke into a thin smile. _"Yet he has a sweet voice, almost girlish."_

The Faustus sighed in return. "I apologize for his demeanor. Natsume always called him the 'cheeky brat of Grigori'…. He's afflicted with the so-called _'2nd year of junior high school sickness'_ that's common for his age."

"Interesting," Valerie hummed. "It seems Grigori is involved in this feud, how quaint."

"Indeed," Siegfried concurred, glaring with resentment at Vali. "The Agency seems to enjoy making enemies."

"Even better," Danhauser chimed in. "The more people helping us, the better our chances at victory."

"His name is Vali." Lavinia introduced him. "He is serving as our companion."

Finally, Vali slowly sprouted his trademark, prideful smirk. "Will any of you fight me?"

 _"Classic Vali,"_ Danhauser fought back a sigh.

Soror Demise scowled. "This is not the time to start something quarrelsome, Va. We need all the energy we have when the incoming fight against the Agency and Hexennacht begins."

Vali gave a confident smile. "We need to be aware of one's power if we're going to work side by side. Perhaps they have weak demonic powers, but they may shine in other talents. This is their last opportunity to gain a passing mark."

Before Danhauser's group could open their mouths, another familiar voice joined the conversation. "I'm sensing a dragon, where is it?" Bova Tannin walked inside in his taller form, eyes burning with excitement.

"Dragon?" Siegfried repeated confusedly. "You're the only dragon here."

"I can smell them," Bova shot back. "I never lie."

"He's talking about me," Vali said, earning curious stares.

Danhauser smiled at his newest servant. "Hey there, big guy. I suppose the coast is clear?"

Bova folded his arms. "For now, I guess." His eye twitched slightly when an intense eagle eye fell over him. "Why do you keep looking at me like that, mage?"

"I apologize," Lavinia tipped her pointed hat apologetically. "I didn't mean to stare. It's just I've never seen a Dragon in person before."

Tannin's son grunted. "You can blink occasionally. I'll still be here." Finally, he gestured with a nod at Vali. "Who's the homeless girl?"

"W-what?!" Vali snapped. "I'm not a girl!"

"But are you homeless?" Valerie inquired teasingly.

"No!"

"Ehehehe…"

Lavinia moved beside the angry half-breed, stroking his head maternally. "There there, Va. They're just joking."

He slapped her hand away. "D-don't do that! I'm _not_ a child!"

 _"Now this way of getting mad was appropriate for his age!"_ Danhauser laughed softly. _"It seems his mature attitude was just to put on a front like Lavinia said."_

"I don't wish to ruin the moment," Siegfried spoke. "But I think it's time to formulate a plan."

"You're right," Danhauser scratched his neck. "We shouldn't waste more time. We don't know when they're going to attack again, better be ready before that happens."

"Lead the way, boss," Tobio cracked his knuckles.

"Let's go."

* * *

They quickly resumed the meeting in the kitchen, not wasting a single breath for objections. Thankfully, Lavinia Reni placed a few magic equations around the neighborhood, just to make sure no Utsusemi or Stray Magician were spying or invading their territory.

He'd already filled them in with anything he had at his disposal, which came from the mouth of Mephisto Pheles himself. To his surprise, Kazuhisa Doumon finally spilled the beans, but it came in shapes of teasing and taunts, hence Mephisto Pheles found out about the parents now missing in sight.

Danhauser Belial never knew if he was exaggerating on his orders, on his previous life, he wasn't the leader of his Empire or business, just another man following orders for the sake of filling his pockets with bills.

It made him anxious. Each soul inside this house chose him as the leader, even Vali Lucifer throughout his silent treatment. If one of them dies or gets wounded fatally, it's all his fault.

What made it worse is that he never asked for this role, but obviously, he never said a word.

He never asked to be brought into a Light Novel.

"Here," said Vali, offering a long, rolled piece of paper. "The Governor-General has the map of this town, take it."

"Thank you," Danhauser took it and unfolded the map, spreading it flat on the table. "Our main objective is to locate the whereabouts of the missing students and parents as well," he said.

"Now they kidnap the parents? How wonderful!" Came Valerie's sarcastic response.

Danhauser just grunted and continued. "The only way to do so is by also figuring out the hiding spot of the Agency. Unfortunately, we lack data about their location. Lavinia, do you know if Kazuhisa Doumon has mentioned something that could help us out?"

It doesn't have to be the exact coordinates, but at least approximate to their secret base or their next movements.

The Magician shook her head sadly. "I'm afraid not, only things that we already know. He seems to be loyal to the Agency."

"Damn," Tobio Ikuse bit his tongue. "I can't believe the media hasn't heard any of this. Why, though?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Valerie said. "This completely smells like something that the Agency would scheme. They're obviously cutting their tongues out."

"… How?"

"By killing them," Siegfried dryly responded.

Lavinia's expression turned cold, tipping her hat. "If a journalist ever thinks of this, they'll immediately be executed."

"They're trying to keep everyone out of this," Danhauser said, slowly. "They already have Grauzauberer, Ars Goetia, Grigori and the Five Principal Clans as enemies. They don't want more unpleasant figures to chime in."

"So what now?" Bova Tannin broke the short silence. "Are we going to wait for them to attack or what?"

"Do we have any other option?" Tobio said, voice low in irritation. "Those bastards did great at hiding! We need to wait for them to show their faces again. Then we take another member of the Agency and force them to spit the truth."

"Then we should prepare a defense system around here," Siegfried declared. "Plan strategies to defeat our enemies easier and capture a few."

"Have you two forgotten the weird light?" The Dhampir questioned them. "When defeat approaches they disappear from sight, this man, Kazuhisa, becoming an exception."

"They won't repeat the same mistake again," Danhauser sided with Valerie. "They're not fools. They'll also plan something to intercept us. And we need to save the children and parents ASAP." He paused. "Plus let's not forget their main objective."

"Complete the Four Fiends Project," Lavinia breathed out. "Time is against us here."

"So," Vali finally spoke. "To sum it up, we have to defeat the Agency along with Hexennacht fast enough to save those that are turned into Utsusemi and make sure they don't get the Four Fiends. Or wait for them to strike first and risk our chances of rescuing the deprived families and them hunting down the Four Fiends Users easily."

"… we could use Tobio's idea," Siegfried commented, but there was reluctance in his voice. "Kazuhisa Doumon hadn't teleported away maybe because the tool fell from his hands or pockets, we could steal it from another foe, lend it to Grauzauberer so they can study the object deeper and that way figure out their location."

"And along the way have a few hostages to spit some damn answers," Tobio added. "That's all we have."

"It doesn't look good," Valerie fiddled with her short hair. "But true, that's all we have."

 _"How unlucky. We're grasping at straws here,"_ Danhauser clenched his teeth. _"There must be something we could use…!"_

"… Unless," Danhauser drawled, watching the map intently.

Lavinia floated closer, looking over his shoulder. "Something on your mind?" She urgently asked.

"Perhaps," Danhauser said, tracing his finger across the black ink of the streets. An idea slowly shaping in his brain. He hopes so either way. "… We are lacking answers. That's a given. Then our main objective is to find them."

Bova's eye twitched. "Great, flying back to square one." He said, annoyed. "What's your plan?"

Danhauser looked up. "Inspect the houses of the departed families."

"… that," Soror Demise trailed off. "… is actually a good idea, search for clues from the abandoned houses."

Valerie scoffed. " _Right._ Mr. Belial, are you suggesting to go after _two hundred_ houses? That would take us a lot of time."

"We don't necessarily have to look through all of them," Danhauser countered, tapping the map. "We can just go where the latest victim lived."

Vali's fists balled but persisted in silence.

"Natsume," Lavinia whispered. "Since she's a member of Grigori they may have raided her home to go after her parents and search for Intel."

"I know where you're going with this, Master," Siegfried started, "and I must say it's a reckless plan. They could ambush us the moment we take a step closer to that residence. I speak from experience."

"Then we fight," Vali dismissed his words. "We will win."

"Huh, I don't know if I should call you confident or arrogant," Valerie mused. "What makes you think we'll have the high ground?"

Vali just summoned a pair of white, mecha-like, dragon wings, startling most of the room. "Because I'm Vali Lucifer, the White Dragon Emperor."

"… Albion." Bova said in sheer awe before breaking into a bloody roar. "Amazing!"

" A descendant of Lucifer…?" Siegfried said, eyes wide. "But you have a Sacred Gear…! Then that means you're a…!"

"Half-human," Tobio finished, gaping. "Just like Valerie."

"It appears so," Valerie hummed calmly.

Danhauser spared a quick glance at Soror Demise. _"I've met Five Longinus Users. One of them is an enemy. This is going to bring a lot of attention from outside forces, fuck me."_

The Heir finally cleared his throat, catching everyone's attention. "Since no objections have been made so far, we'll investigate Natsume's house. Be cautious and don't lower your guards. Understood?"

[Understood.]

* * *

They left Sae's house straight into Natsume Minagawa's residence, not even daring to use teleportation spells. Sticking by traveling on a train and by bus, typical of Japan. Danhauser Belial suggested using spells, but Lavinia Reni countered his ideas. One of them would alarm troublesome figures by just releasing energy, plus she wasn't a professional Magician to cast a spell around everyone, yet.

Normally, Gilles de Rais or Diehauser Belial are the ones in charge of transporting Danhauser and his Peerage to the Human World, Calcabrina Belial would also offer the gesture.

They headed north by pure walking toward the residential area. A short distance up to the main street was the house of Natsume Minagawa. The house was just like the others, a monotonous two-story building.

"Remember," Siegfried broke the heavy silence. "This girl, Natsume Minagawa, is affiliated with Grigori and in a way to us… don't be too shocked if the door is unlocked because…"

"It could be a trap," Danhauser finished for him. "Perhaps us going to her house is part of their plan, after all, this is Utsusemi domain."

Siegfried nodded. "Indeed. Unfortunately, if we don't make a move this time, most likely they'll obtain the remaining Four Fiends and attack the Five Principal Clans."

Luckily, they had the cooperation of Grigori, which in a way, they were the greatest faction to fetch some information about their foes. All thanks to Azazel, Danhauser always saw Grigori as the whole 'secret black ops' business.

"They do also recognize the hole we're slowly digging ourselves in," Valerie Tepes spoke. "We're trying to rescue the friends of Mr. Ikuse and stop them from finishing their project, they know that we won't just remain in hiding."

"We're powerful," Bova Tannin said with a shrug. "It's obvious those guys would use places we're clearly connected to as bait for a trap."

Even just glancing from a short distance away, there was no sense at all that anyone lived in this house. The windows were all shut and the nameplate on the door had been stolen. The grass on the lawn had grown unkempt.

Just like the ones around here.

"This place reminds me of a ghost town," Tobio said timidly. "Gives me the creeps."

"I like the ambiance," Valerie tossed her cents, eyeing a shattered window. "I wouldn't mind passing the night here."

"Of course you wouldn't." Tobio sighed.

"Oh please," the Romanian huffed out. "How many times do I have to say it? Just _adapt_ and nothing will stop you."

"If you say so," said the Japanese, obviously not convinced.

"Let's just get inside," Danhauser urged, using a finger to weakly push the door crack open. He didn't even need to twist the knob.

The group exchanged uneasy glances.

"Like Sieg said, the door's left open," Tobio mumbled.

Danhauser peeked behind his shoulder. "Before making a move, I would prefer if some people stayed on guard while the rest is searching for hints," he said. "Bova, Vali and Jin can fill that role easily."

Vali Lucifer and Bova shrugged while Tobio whistled loud enough to bring Jin out of his shadow.

"You'll be watching from inside," Danhauser continued. "You guys sticking outside would bring a lot of attention. Now, everyone's ready?"

"Right behind you," Lavinia answered for everyone.

Just as everyone expected, there wasn't any human presence inside. They were the only ones who dared to step inside, it didn't feel lonesome, but it had a dark ambiance, regardless if the sun was peeking through the curtains. It didn't carry the homely essence anymore.

Danhauser was the first one to move further on the entryway, diverse accessories and framed pictures hanging on the walls, he felt how his night vision instinctively turned on.

"What now?" Bova asked, also stepping inside, followed by the others. "Any plans?"

The Heir glared up at the flickery light bulb, buzzing like a mosquito near his ears, it barely brightened the dimmed hallway. "Split up and check for traps _and_ answers."

They began hunting down for traps.

"How come people never found out about this?" The Dhampir shifted closer to a picture. "I understand the media was silenced by the Agency, but still…"

Lavinia adjusted her pointed hat. "After thinking about it, I think I have your answer." She said, confidently. "This whole area is cloaked by a magical technique to drive people away with this house, acting as the control center. Its purpose is fairly obvious, use it against immune figures that wield unique powers like us it is impossible to ignore. They have absolute control of this zone."

"Then the reason why we can perceive this house is that some of us have Sacred Gears and control over magic?" Tobio asked from another room.

"Correct."

Danhauser opened a drawer—it held notebooks and gas bills. "Any idea which spells were used?"

"I don't know the spells, but the magic system on the other hand…" The Faustus drawled, hat tipped. " _Houjutsu_ , _Shintoism_ , and _Onmyoudou_. They outclass in 'exorcism' skills suchlike 'concealment' and 'repulsion'."

"Eastern Magic," Siegfried peeked behind the television lying in the living room. "Then the ones assaulting the houses must be those expelled from the Five Clans."

Valerie unhurriedly twisted a knob and peeped inside a room. She closed the door unsatisfied. "This place, was it like this long ago?"

"Yes," Vali responded, spying from the window. "Surprisingly, nothing has been removed. The only things that aren't here are Natsume and her parents."

The Magician's lips sealed, looking away.

They resume on their quest, find anything that could bring them a step closer to the Agency. Lavinia would sometimes pull out her wand and draw a circle on the floor whilst chanting something that resembled a spell. A glow emerged on the circle shortly after the short-lived radiance would be emitted. It would soon die out.

Danhauser, for an unknown reason, would spot Lavinia with a tiny smile gracing her lips. It was unfitting for the situation, but he won't deny that it was cute.

He just wished it didn't carry evil intentions.

Everyone in the living room felt a chill down their spine as steps echoed from not so far away, they took battle stances and followed the sound with their eyes, only to catch sight of Tobio and Jin walking closer. The brunet shook his head sadly. He hadn't discovered anything useful.

Danhauser's nose twitched slightly as his eyes slowly went up. "I'll check the second floor."

"Then we'll continue searching for anything useful on the first floor a little longer," Valerie resumed her job.

"Take Jin with you," Tobio turned to his dog. "Follow boss around."

Jin barked.

"Let's go, little guy," Danhauser and Jin returned briefly to the entry hall, giving a quick nod at Bova who returned it. They began ascending the stairs, but Belial halted when he heard a soft whine. He looked behind, noticing how it took effort for the puppy to climb up one step at a time, all thanks to its miniature body.

Danhauser smiled at the sight. "What is it little guy, can't climb?"

The red-eyed dog whined in return!

"Here," Danhauser crouched and carefully picked up Canis Lykaon, lifting it. "I'll lend you a hand."

Jin barked with gratitude!

"You know," Danhauser resumed on the stairs. "I sometimes wonder just how smart the Avatar-Type Sacred Gear such as yourself are …"

Jin gave a conversational bark!

"Huh, interesting answer," Having ascended the second floor, Danhauser let Jin land on the floor and sniff the area. "You know what I think? Maybe you just read the tone of my voice. You're just a dumb dog, that's all."

Jin gave a threatening growl!

The Heir winked. "Relax, I was just joking. Honestly, everyone's special on the team, playing important roles, if it wasn't for you, Tobio would probably be captured by the Agency. Good job."

Jin gave an ecstatic bark!

Danhauser smiled amusingly. "Totally. Go, team. Hurrah." He turned his feet toward the closest room. Advancing silently with Jin through the unclean corridor, he slowly twirled the doorknob.

The bedroom's appearance was out of place compared to the grim look of the house. It was definitely nothing more than your typical girl's room—if the posters of Japanese boy bands clipped on the walls were a giveaway—the interior of which had been kept ordered and saved from dust.

Danhauser stepped inside, also making sure Jin was following, closing the door softly. He let the fake God use its nose across the wooden floor. Meanwhile, he walked over the desk, it was full of papers, most of them containing drawings and notes.

"Someone seems to love drawing," he pushed the sheets away while whispering apologies, coming face to face with a picture. He picked it up.

"This has to be Natsume," Danhauser stared at the caramel-haired girl grinning at the camera. _"A pity that now she's just another Utsusemi. All thanks to me. Way to go, champ."_

At that moment, the entrance to the room creaked open, alarming Danhauser and Jin. They looked over that way, just for Belial to release a soft sigh after seeing the Faustus waving awkwardly at them.

"Sorry for startling you," Lavinia apologized, floating to him. "I wanted to lend you a hand inspecting the second floor. I've just finished checking the Landlord and Landlady's bedrooms… nothing."

"I haven't finished here," Danhauser gestured to the whole bedroom. "I wouldn't mind another hand."

She smiled warmly at him and instinctively glanced down at the picture on his grasp. Her expression morphed. "Is that…"

He pursed his lips and nodded, letting the girl take a hold of it.

The Magician took it whilst passing her thumb tenderly over the picture, quickly floating to the desk and grabbing a few drawings.

"She always loved drawing," Lavinia commented, gently landing on the bed's corner. "But she wasn't proud of her results, so I helped her."

Danhauser blinked, walking somewhere else. "You draw?"

"Paint," she said. "I love painting and art in general. When I was just a girl I wanted to be a painter… until I found out I had something unique within me."

"Absolute Demise," Danhauser muttered loud enough for the girl to hear it. He dropped to the floor and peeked underneath the bed. "Your Sacred Gear, isn't it?"

The Italian hummed, pocketing the picture and pulling out her wand, casting the same spell she'd used on the first floor. She frowned when nothing happened. "Indeed. It's a shame, but, even if I'm now a Faustus, I never stopped painting… I already have my first creation. It's called the _Eternal Ice Princess_."

Danhauser stood and chuckled. "I _wonder_ where that name came from…"

"What about you?" Lavinia curiously asked, pushing herself off the bed. "Something you wished to be when you were a kid?"

"…" Danhauser's lips pursed, moving to the window and peeking outside. He could feel her gaze glued to his scalp. "When I was a kid I used to want to be a…" He gulped slightly. "… a, uh, a writer."

Her gasp was enough to make him cringe. "Really?"

"…Yes."

"Can I read one later?"

"Uh, no."

"Oh, please! I won't laugh!"

He flushed, conveniently studying the curtains' fabric. "I _don't_ think so."

She clasped both hands, her body language almost reaching the stage of begging. "Please…"

"I smell something!" Bova's deep voice alarmed everyone.

"Wha—!"

A cat meowed behind them.

Danhauser and Lavinia immediately fired their spells, unblinkingly. Not paying close attention to the holes that were shaped throughout the habitation from their merciless attacks.

It took quite the time, but finally, they lowered their hands, their chest puffing in and out. They could hear how the former Exorcist began shouting orders, hurriedly rushing to the stairs.

But they just kept staring at the white cat slowly crawling out of the bed, the creature not caring at the threatening barks of Jin.

It was far more different from the Cowardly Leo and the common Lizard Utsusemi.

 _"No way…"_ Danhauser's throat tightened but kept his stoic mask. Siegfried was right—they're stepping out of their game. _"This shouldn't happen, not at all…"_

Speaking of the Devil, Siegfried's figure appeared in front of the entrance. "Master we heard—!" He took notice of the cat in the middle and pulled out a sword. "Utsusemi?!"

"No, I don't think so," Danhauser's face fell, finally noticing something between its mouth. "I… I think that's another of the Four Fiends…"

The silver-haired Knight showed brief signs of shock before lunging at the Fiend, but the cat disappeared by the infamous vast, white light, leaving only a sheet of paper land on the floor as a memory.

The Heir shook his head strongly. "We're leaving. Jin, take the small note, we'll read it at Sae's house."

* * *

"Two," Tobio Ikuse walked in circles around the table, fighting mentally to not chew out his nails. "Two _fucking_ Fiends they have now! What the hell?!"

"They only need two now," Siegfried growled behind clenched teeth. "This is worse than we expected."

"It may sound wrong but," Valerie Tepes trailed off, tapping her nails on the table. "… What'd happen if they obtained the Four Fiends? I'm curious to see that event occurring."

"… terrible things." Lavinia Reni responded, her face completely obscured by her big, white hat.

"An explanation would become handy," the Dhampir demanded. "We get they'll attack the Five Clans when they obtain the Sacred Gears, but are they really that necessary for their revenge? They could just kidnap more children and turn them into Utsusemi."

"Or go after Longinus Users," Danhauser Belial proposed, massaging his temple after finishing reading the message. "I have to agree with Valerie. I don't see any reason whatsoever to waste their time to hunt down the Four Fiends."

"If they somehow find the last two…" The Faustus finally looked up, her sapphire eyes carrying a neutral glint. "They'll have the power to _erase_ the Sacred Beasts _permanently_ , according to Pops."

Danhauser froze in place.

"…Okay," The gray Devil cleared his throat, ignoring Tobio's slumping beside him. "I never expected _that_ answer."

"I'm more baffled that a Longinus Tier can't do that," Valerie dryly commented, eyeing idly Canis Lykaon on its master lap.

"So do I," Lavinia nodded at the half-breed. "That's information that we, unfortunately, don't have. We may know if we had the chance to study the Five Sacred Beasts deeply, but the Five Clans are well-known for their strictness."

"What do you know, then?" Bova Tannin asked, arms folded. "Anything at all?"

"Suzaku, Seiryu, Genbu, and Byakko are the Four Sacred Beasts linked with the Five Principal Clans along with Ouryuu," Lavinia explained. "They're not Gods, but Elemental spirits, just like the Four Inauspicious Beasts. They're ageless and unchanging, spirits who have attained raw physical shape and allude an element, fire, wind, water, so on..."

"It all started just like the fight between the Heavenly Dragons, correct?" Siegfried guessed.

"Exactly," Lavinia sighed. "Similar to Ddraig and Albion's clash. The Four Fiends and The Four Sacred Beast once brawled—the former to keep balance, the latter to bring chaos. That's all I know."

"Weren't they five creatures?" Tobio recalled. "Why do you keep saying Four?"

The Magician shrugged one shoulder. "That's how they're widely known—most people don't see the Yellow Dragon connected to the other, yet it is."

"I still highly doubt the reason to capture the Four Evils is to destroy the Sacred Creatures," Valerie informed. "It just doesn't make sense at all. The weakest Longinus could handle that job easily."

"Trust me, I'm with you," Lavinia frowned a little. "Even Pops looked doubtful when he answered my question… there must be something for their desperate focus on that project."

"Whatever it is, it'll definitely be bad," Danhauser finally spoke sternly. "Why did Vali left?"

"Grigori," responded the blonde human. "The Governor-General called him back to their base—must be something important."

"Whatever," Slash Dog grunted, glaring at the sheet of paper on the table. "Let's get back to the point. What did it say, boss?"

Danhauser nervously passed a hand over his gray hair. "… Hanezu and Augusta send their regards. They want to speak with us, face to face."

…

"I'm against it," Lavinia broke the silence with a cold tone. "They're strays, _terrorists_. We won't ally ourselves with them. We won't fall lowly like them!"

"I'm with her," Tobio growled, slightly surprised by the girl's coldness. "Those bastards kidnapped my classmates and their parents, ended our school, ruined Sae's life and mine by pulling us into this damn mess!"

"They want to team up or take us away from this war," Bova grunted. "They know we are strong."

"Not only that," Siegfried spoke. "But it appears that Walburga knows what Clan you belong, maybe they know about the Emperor or some of his servants."

"It could be the Bishop," The Faustus hinted. "Mater Ozma knows your brother's Bishop, he's powerful. He goes by his magical motto, _Pater Perdurabo._ "

"Then that means my brother's Bishop owns a magic school," Danhauser tapped his chin. "Interesting…"

"Back on topic, we should decline their offer," Lavinia insisted, glaring at the table. "They do _not_ deserve a chance."

"What are your orders, Mr. Belial?" Valerie calmly spoke. "In the end, it lays in your hands, whether we like it or not."

Danhauser just pinched the bridge of his nose and sucked a sigh. Too many things happened for him, he was struggling with ingesting all this information properly. Hanezu Himejima already has two Fiends, which belongs to two characters that are supposed to be from the main cast, alongside Tobio.

It's obvious he just screwed up. Again.

How?

By recruiting the brunet as his Mutated Knight, of course.

But in all honesty, he doesn't regret his decision. It was worth it, for him.

Danhauser pocketed Hanezu's message, staring back at those hypnotizing, sapphire eyes. "Lavinia, contact me with Mephisto. We need to talk, only the three of us."

Lavinia blinked owlishly, she opened and closed her mouth a few times before nodding at his demands. "Of course, follow me."

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Namikaze Uzumaki Potter: Thank for th kind words, I'll do my best, good day to you too!**

 **reader: The Queen piece is something I'm still struggling with, after all, there are few DxD characters to reincarnate and have a potential to become one, it's more difficult when I said I won't use characters from other franchises. All in all, I'm still doubtful to give him either a Queen or not, if I do, it'll be a female, don't worry. About the Peerage thing, I've posted it in the next chapter. I noticed that was the wrong one I've used, lol. The updated one is on the next chapter, cheers!**

 **Guest: Should I give him a scar on his face, too, lol?  
**

 **I'm Da Bomb: Thank you, he eventually will!**

 **Warlord of Chaos: Don't' worry, we'll see more of best girl Ravel, later on, thank you!**

 **Dipssy: Eeeh, I don't see her as a Queen, probably I won't, sorry.**

 **Guest: Thanks for the words, it wouldn't be impossible for Danhauser to obtain Incinerate Anthem, after all, Valerie had it when they took it from Walburga in canon. But still, I don't want to give him SG.**

 **Fenrir-kun: Don't worry, we'll see in the future more about best girl Ravel.**

 **Kalmaegi: Indeed it does, later on, we'll find out.**

 **Guest-Questioner: Good job for guessing! If I had a cookie, I'd give you one.  
**

* * *

 **Since we're on Slash/Dog plot, Lavinia and Vali were about to appear yes or yes. After all, Azazel was also an important figure there, he also ent Vali to end off the Utsusemi with Mephisto sent Lavinia.**

 **Nothing else to say here, move on to the next chapter, my children.  
**

 **Cheers!**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Going All In  
**


	19. Going All In

**Chapter 19: Going All In**

* * *

"Mother _fucking_ dick suck _cunt_ fucking fuck _fuckity_ …"

"…" Danhauser Belial carefully spared a steady glance at the blonde girl floating beside him—she was hiding her face with that pointed hat of hers.

Danhauser turned back to the hologram on the table.

"….fuck _fucker fucking_ fucks _fuckers_! FUCK!" Mephisto Pheles breathed out, angrily massaging his temple. "They're five steps ahead of us…!"

"I'm so sorry, Pops," Lavinia Reni apologized, crestfallen.

"Why didn't any of you tell me about this?" Mephisto squinted his eyes at both Danhauser and Lavinia. The good thing is that at least the Director was patient enough for them to finish, even if he was on the brink of exploding in a fit of curses, he stayed quiet.

That truly deserves recognition.

"We were occupied searching for clues," Danhauser replied, adding. "To hopefully locate their hideout and move to the next phase."

The Director huffed and rolled those heterochromatic eyes, obviously with an attitude of disbelief, which in a way, they weren't lying, something that Mephisto truly believes. The main problem's the late update to him and the rest.

Hence the scolding.

"They have two of them now," He grumbled. "From what you've told me, these two Evil Beasts have the resemblance of a cat and a hawk." They nodded. "Good thing Azazel told me about them. The cat is known as _Toukotsu_ and the hawk _Kyuuki_ , they control over lightning and wind respectively."

Grauzauberer's director continued. "Now it seems Augusta and Hanezu wish to have a word with you."

Both Devil and Magician noticed the lack of warmness in his words. They don't know if it was because the Agency is practically pushing them around or Danhauser and Lavinia's lack of contact with them. They just nodded mutually.

"There's no denying that this is just a stupid attempt to snare our attention," Mephisto said icily.

"Which they did," muttered Danhauser.

"We'll end this now," Mephisto said, snapping a hand at a shocked Lavinia. "I'm tired of playing with their shit. This could mean many things, a trap, alliance or even a way to push you out of this mess. We know the coordinates where the meeting is going to be, they'll obviously be filling the zone with traps to give them the advantage if a battle breaks out. Regardless of it, we will fight."

Danhauser shrugged a single shoulder. "Maybe force them out of there?" He suggested.

Mephisto's distinct eyes closed, treating his words with the consideration it deserved. "Impossible. I can bet that Augusta and Walburga are going to be present, most likely to act as Hanezu's bodyguards."

Not an easy task, at all. Pushing the whole Agency out of that place was possible. He hopes. Danhauser wasn't a master of the arts of tactics. He wasn't a tactician that tipped the scales as a daily basis his previous life.

Defeating the Agency and capture the leaders is a taller task. And saving the students and respective parents without causing them any harm? The difficulty increased by a lot.

Lavinia noted Danhauser going motionless. He still looked terse as ever—arms folded, eyes gazing somewhat pointedly—but the way his nose twitched, it reminded her of tension. "It would be great if we could get reinforcements from you." He said. "Something tells me this fight is going to be much bigger than the previous ones."

"I will," Mephisto confirmed, no hesitation laced his voice. "We, the Faustus, swore to stop them from folding more chaos. They'll love fighting at your side just as long as they have the chance to give each one of them a black eye."

Danhauser glanced at Lavinia, who looked as determined as the blue-red-haired Devil.

"Just for safe measures, I'll send Azazel the coordinates to take a look at the place," Mephisto picked up nimbly. "If there's a Faction that can stay hidden from anyone's radar, it's Grigori. I'll also call the Ace of my academy."

Lavinia's eyes widened. "Is he…?"

"Yes, he is," Mephisto replied. "He doesn't know about this, yet. But I'll inform as soon as we end this conversation."

"Is… is it a good idea?" The Faustus hesitantly asked. "You know how he is…"

"I don't have any other option, Lavinia." Mephisto cut her off. "Besides, because of his Sacred Gear, he can teleport our allies immediately in the midst of the war. That'll become handy to us."

"I understand," Lavinia conceded, not looking entirely convinced by her headmaster's explanation, but with the reflection of someone who knew they needed to use the last cent to grasp victory.

The holographic figure of Mephisto began stroking his chin, gazing into the nearest thing as he weighed his options. "… If luck smiles upon us, then they'll instantly be arrested, only if we follow our plan to the letter. Augusta is someone we couldn't look down upon, after all, she was offered a seat in the Magical Council… that was until I expelled her for being fucking retarded."

"What can you tell me about her?" Danhauser promptly asked. "How strong is she? I understand she was offered a place in the Council, but I doubt you invite those who are just strong."

"You're right, I don't," Mephisto confessed. "I seek for those who have a good head over their shoulders, without doing anything moronic." He explained briefly. "… And about her powers, she's fond of the motto 'A magician never reveals his secrets', she was back then the user of Incinerate Anthem and a good one at that..."

"Damn…" Danhauser pursed his lips. "In terms of Magic power?"

"Good enough to single-handedly take down Va, Natsume and myself," Lavinia plainly said. "But we were ambushed, maybe we could've defeated her if we were alert that night."

Mephisto grunted. "Wizards of Oz has _four_ Aces, Augusta was the third strongest of them, where the other three aces are is unknown."

Danhauser noted Lavinia stiffing slightly. He remained quiet.

"Other than that, Augusta has the common tricks as any other Magician." Mephisto paused. "I won't participate in the fight. If I do, I'll leave Grauzauberer and the Magical Council defenseless for an open attack, Tannin and I are going to keep an eye over here."

"Alright then," Danhauser sighed, urgent and tensed. He frowned. "You want us to capture them?"

"… Preferably, yes," Mephisto said uncertainly, his features wrinkling. "… but I can't see that happening. They can disappear as many times as they want… so the other option we have is—!"

"End them," Lavinia finished for him, nodding firmly. "Consider it done, Pops."

Lavinia was treated with a fixed stare. She had to hide her eyes behind her hat. Even Danhauser found it uncomfortable.

"Very well," the elder drawled. "If things start getting out of hand, then expect to see either Tannin or myself chiming in along with the Faustus. Meanwhile, I'll interrogate Kazuhisa but this time with… harsher methods. Stay sharp."

The conversation finished with a small flicker on Mephisto's figure, leaving his presence from the room.

The Heir released a tired yawn, he had in mind to go back to his home and stay the night with his family, that was until Hanezu Himejima and Augusta decided to suggest a 'meeting.' That most likely would end in a fight. Hopefully the last one.

"Tired?" The Magician softly asked, even her eyes carried the maternal glint over them.

Knowing the answer, she continued. "Don't worry, this senseless war will be over soon."

The Heir, for an odd reason, doesn't feel alleviated by her words. He made sure to smile, though. "I hope so. The one who worries me is Augusta."

She frowned and nodded in agreement. "Indeed, a dangerous foe she is. I would love to speak with you about anything else, but it's better if we began formulating strategies for the upcoming battle."

Danhauser couldn't agree more. "Definitely," he breathed out, gesturing at the exit. "Shall we go downstairs and fill them in?"

She giggled. "We shall."

* * *

Since they were using Sae Toujou's former house as their base they needed resources such as food drinks and more places for the team to sleep in, like a futon. Tons of them. They were eight people in total and the house only carried three bedrooms, each one of them having a bed, Sae parent's bed was for two people.

But it was doubtful that they were willing to share the bed. Danhauser Belial wouldn't.

Of course, they weren't foolish enough to leave the house alone without someone staying vigilant in case of intruders trespassing. Lavinia Reni, Tobio Ikuse, and Jin had volunteered to do the shopping while the rest figured out what to do to burn time. Some of them honed their skills, or others explored deeper into the building.

When the two Longinus Users arrived, no one wasted a breath to slump on a chair and wait for the food with empty stomachs. With the Agency always being the first thing to worry about, they almost skipped dinner.

"Alright!" Slash Dog called them out. "Food's ready! Go pick up a dish!"

They scavenged their food for dinner out of the kitchen and ended up back on the table where everyone is already eating from their bowl. Danhauser couldn't really blame them for not waiting for the rest to take a seat. The smell was intoxicating and impossible to resist.

"Delicious," Lavinia praised the cook, eating her noodles. "You are a talented cook, Tobio."

Tobio sheepishly chucked, rubbing his neck. "Credit goes to my granny. If it wasn't for her, I would be skinny as hell right now."

"…" Vali Lucifer remained quiet, also using a chopstick to twirl the food in his bowl, carefully fishing a few and eating it off, humming pleasantly. "They're good."

"It's amazing!" Bova Tannin grabbed the bowl and drank the liquid in seconds, sighing contently. "Is there more?"

"On the kitchen, inside a cooking pot, you can't miss it," the brunet waved him off before glaring. "But leave some for us!"

"Yeah, yeah," Bova rolled his eyes and moved away with a goofy grin, almost flipping the table with his tail.

"Watch it!" Snapped the Japanese boy, getting a grunt from the retreating dragon. He caught sight of the Devil, Dhampir, and Ex-Exorcist.

Tobio arched an eyebrow. "Why're you three not eating? Not hungry?"

"I don't know how to use chopsticks," Danhauser admitted with a discouraging laugh.

"Likewise," Siegfried grumbled, fighting to grab anything from his dish with the wooden sticks.

Valerie Tepes just shrugged, not even trying. "Same reason."

"Well then," clicking his tongue, the gray-haired dropped the chopsticks and picked the fork on the table. "Good news, Mephisto's going to send backup."

Since Belial had the courage to bring forth the subject, Lavinia supported him. "Grauzauberer is going to help us out."

"A whole magical organization...?" Siegfried drawled. "Your headmaster is really tired of this, isn't he?"

"Everyone is," Valerie corrected him. "I presume the negotiation between you and Mr. Himejima was never meant to happen?"

"It will happen," Danhauser said, gathering confused looks from everyone. "I'll distract them while the Faustus make their way to us."

"Hold on," Tobio finally understood. "Isn't it dangerous to do this alone? Augusta and Walburga most likely will be there to protect Hanezu!"

"Of course you guys will be there," Danhauser explained. "They'll grow suspicious if they notice that most of you are gone."

"That's excellent," the light-blonde commented. "I encourage you to not hesitate on demanding answers, mostly about their desire to achieve the Four Fiends."

"What makes you think they'll give us free information?" The brunet asked, sending a brief nod to Bova who came back. "That'd be stupid on their part."

"You're right, it would be moronic," she admitted. "But if they really want us on their side, or at least out of their business, they'll gladly fill a few holes. Of course, we won't join their cause..."

"… We'll make them think we're interested." Siegfried finished for her.

"That sounds dangerous," Danhauser said, but thoughtfully.

"We're already facing danger," Valerie pointed out. "And something tells me that there'll be harsher problems in the future compared to this. We should take advantage of the situation and fish out some answers."

"I don't like this," Lavinia said, frowning. "There's no necessity to even speak to them, it's preferable to just finish them, you cannot trust them."

"It's your decision, Master," Siegfried reminded the gray-haired. "As your servant. Whatever is your decision, I'll follow it."

"…" Danhauser laid down his fork and stared distantly into his palms, the fact that several pairs of eyes were drinking over his figure made it more difficult to concentrate. "We'll talk to them." He announced. "Maybe, just maybe, they'll tell us where the parents are and those affected by the Utsusemi."

"Unlikely," Siegfried said, arms folded. "But if that's your order, then I shall obey it."

The Faustus sewed her lips, but the scowl pointed her opinion about this.

"So, it's decided," finally, Vali spoke after gulping his dinner. "Pity we're not going to straight into the fight. Whatever, I'll handle Augusta if things start getting off-hand."

"Unfortunately, a fight will happen," Danhauser interlocked his fingers and sighed. "Now, let's jump to the next subject, we need people to stay vigilant during the night while everyone else's sleeping."

"Good idea," Siegfried concurred. "We're eight if we count Jin. Two can stay awake for an amount of time and then swap with another pair."

Lavinia hastily floated beside the Dhampir, startling her. "Then if I can choose, I would love being partnered with you."

Valerie blinked, bemused. "Pardon me?"

The Magician just smiled invitingly. "We're the only girls in this house. Girls work great together. Plus you need to tell me how to get such beautiful hair like yours!"

"W-wait a second—!" Valerie yelped as Lavinia dragged her by the hand. "S-stop! Stop this mistreatment right away… or I'll bite you!"

Danhauser locked sight with the two blondes, smiling in amusement. "So…" he started after the girls disappeared up the stairs, looking at the only males. "Who wants beautiful hair such as mine?"

Tobio pointed a thumb at his shadow. "I'll be working with Jin. Sieg with Bova."

"Then that leaves me with…" Danhauser drawled, his eyes landing on the silver-haired boy. "You. Hope you don't mind."

Vali just shrugged, alright with it. "We can be the first ones keeping an eye out. I'm not really tired."

The Heir hummed in response. "Thought I was the only one." He turned to Siegfried and indicated to the second floor. "You guys get some sleep, I'll call you out when it's your turn."

"Of course." Siegfried spun around, followed by the rest.

"A fair warning," the White Dragon said. "Make sure to keep the door locked. Lavinia's a sleepwalker and normally, she'll sleep on a bed even if it has an owner."

"Where's the problem, again?" Danhauser joked with a chuckle, eliciting stares. He flushed. "I was kidding, trying to lighten the mood."

"Right," Tobio muttered.

"Thank you for the caution," Siegfried ignored them and climbed the stairs. "I'll make sure of it."

* * *

Something that Danhauser Belial and Vali Lucifer shared in common is the dislike of small talks. The former figured it out by noticing the way Vali's eyebrows sank for each question Belial asked. He obviously stopped to not annoy him, but in all honestly, Danhauser didn't like to be quiet when someone's with him. Fear of boring them to death.

So, Danhauser suggested something that made Vali's lip mold into an eager grin.

However, to complete this request, they needed to be in the backyard.

 _"Bring it,"_ Danhauser fired bullets of demonic energy gliding to Vali with the tip of his finger. They were easily deflected by Vali's barrier.

The halfbreed blitzed forward with a speed that was very hard to follow. It wasn't too shocking, after all, the silver-haired was schooled in combat by the Governor-General himself. Vali is an extremely efficient combatant, even if he's thirteen years old.

But Danhauser was disciplined by The Emperor. He brought an arm up and parried the flying kick, almost tripped over by the unexpected sheer force.

Before Belial could grab his leg and slam him down, Vali bent his legs and bounced away, quickly summoning his mecha wings and darting over, landing a firm punch across Danhauser's cheek.

Vali hastily jumped out of range, smirking. "Is that all you got?" He taunted, he couldn't see it by the way Danhauser rubbed his cheek, but he imagined a good bruise was left behind.

Danhauser didn't reply.

"Lend me your power!" Vali said, snapping his fingers to trigger his Sacred Gear… but nothing happened.

He scowled and repeated his actions, facing the same consequences. "What have you—!" Vali coughed when Danhauser's kneeled him on the abdomen.

The Heir never stopped, taking a hold of Vali's silver hair, he harshly yanked him closer and brought a fist on his stomach, followed by one to the cheek and more blows from different areas.

The White Dragon barely caught Danhauser's fist, heartily hitting Danhauser on his chin and pulling himself from danger.

The silver-haired spat blood and glared at his knuckles, noticing the Belial crest. "Ah, right. You're a Belial, your House trait is troublesome, you know?" He commented, dodging in and out of Danhauser's spells.

The Heir lowered his arm and Vali approached the momentum to rush at him, keeping in mind that Danhauser just shaped a demonic circle under him.

As expected, something occurred. A black viscous liquid surged through the gray circle, creeping over Danhauser, building a cocoon. Vali never hesitated, he tried to punch him, but it shot a fist of resin at him, nearly hurting him.

Vali soared to the skies and evaded the black fist that kept stubbornly stalking after him. He tried to damage Danhauser's shelter, rocketing over it, but the now three resin-shaped limbs came to the rescue every time he got closer.

He frowned when the arms of resin stopped and crawled back inside the cocoon, slowly melting to show the form of Danhauser. "What are you doing?" He asked. "Things were starting to get better!"

Danhauser passed his thumb over the corner of his bleeding lip. "Sorry, but the fight's over."

Vali's hazel eyes widened. "What? You can't just end a match like that!" He complained.

Danhauser offered a wry smile and walked past him, ignoring the huff from the young, battle-maniac. "Let's just get inside, I bet you're hungry, maybe there are noodles left in the kitchen you could eat."

Vali puffed his cheeks, reluctantly following. "If not?"

"Then Bova ate them all, let's just hope not," Danhauser said, finally stepping inside and taking a deep breath of the air conditioner. Refreshing.

He quickly made his way to the kitchen, listening to the squeal of the chair and someone slump on it. He opened the refrigerator. "Hey, Vali, why were you absent?"

The half-breed stopped tracing circles on the table. "Azazel ordered me to warn the Five Principal Clans about Hanezu's progress."

"Good thinking," Danhauser complimented as he kept on his searching. "Lavinia filled you in with everything, right?"

"Yes she did," Vali said, fist on his cheek, yawning. "Why are you in this fight?"

"To help Tobio out," Danhauser answered briefly, pulling out a cup of noodles. He shook it at him. "You like instant noodles?"

"They're alright," Vali said with a weak shrug, although Danhauser swore to hear the excitement growing in his voice. "You're not doing this from the bottom of your heart then?"

"Not really," Danhauser admitted, pouring water on the cup noodles before shoving it on the microwave. "I'm just doing it to fulfill my promise." He laid back on the wall, staring at the child. "What about you? You don't look like someone who wishes to save people. Unless you are here just to fight."

Vali sniffed the air, gulping silently. "Azazel told me to aid Grauzauberer."

"Which brings me to the next question," Danhauser said, frowning. "Why does the Grigori want to fight them back. Is it because of Natsume or the horrible things that the Agency is committing?"

"…" The White Dragon became silent, sparing a long glance at the fluffy dragon on his shoulder.

Danhauser didn't know if it was a hallucination, but he swore to see the tiniest nod coming from the toy.

"What," He shook his head, massaging his eyes.

He was about to speak but Vali was faster. "The Agency part," he answered. "The case of Natsume became something personal, but there are things that made Grigori and Grauzauberer grow worried."

"What could make Azazel and Mephisto alarmed?" Danhauser asked, finally looking away from the toy suspiciously.

"The Utsusemi," the silver-haired responded. "No matter what name they wear, they're still Independent Avatar Sacred Gears, artificially made by mortals."

The microwave's beeping sound was enough to startle Danhauser, he opened the microwave and wrapped the hot noodles in a napkin, sliding the microwaved dinner and a fork on the table. "… I still don't understand."

"Isn't it suspicious that strays of the Five Clans suddenly found a way to produce one? Back then when they were members of their respective Clans, they shared the same low views of Sacred Gears." Vali said, blowing the steam from his food before eating it. "Plus Sacred Gears are not easy to make."

"Mephisto told me that Hexennacht were expelled because of animal and human experiments." Danhauser pointed out. "Maybe Augusta and her students are the ones fabricating them?"

Vali pointed the fork at him. "Again, it's a rare sight to see _humans_ designing Sacred Gears in such little time."

Danhauser brought a hand to his chin, absently watching Vali wolfing his dinner. His eyes finally widened in realization. "They're apprentices?"

"If by apprentices you refer to _'learn on how to create Sacred Gears'_ then yes they are," Vali gulped down his food. "There's someone who taught them on how to build Sacred Gears."

"I get it now… you're making a valid point, Vali." Danhauser took a seat, shaking his head in disbelief.

Vali perked up from his half-empty cup, eyebrow arched. "Did you just…?"

The gray-haired cringed. "No pun intended." He said after dropping regaining his posture. "Either way, they seem to have planned this for a long time…"

The White Dragon smirked. "Good. You're keeping up." He pushed aside the empty cup. "Azazel knew about your fights against Kazuhisa Doumon and Walburga, but who matters the most is the former, he had a black lion. The Cowardly Leo it was called, do you remember?"

Danhauser nodded.

"We took the lion back to Grigori Headquarters," the silver-haired continued. "We found out that it was an incomplete version, but it followed Azazel's methods of inventing an Artificial Sacred Gear."

…

"A traitor," The Heir whispered, already catching on. "There's a traitor among Grigori."

And the only Fallen Angel that comes to his mind is—!

 _"—Kokabiel,"_ Danhauser clenched his knees tightly beneath the table. The warmonger who has the courage to steal Excalibur Fragments and appear in Kuoh Town to murder two heiresses just to resume the war between the Three Great Powers. He could be the one behind this feud.

"Exactly," Vali wiped his mouth with a sleeve. "We don't know who the backstabber is," he finally stood up, walking to the exit. "I'll be watching over the main room, if you want to fight again you know where to find me."

"…" Danhauser shaped a pyramid with his fingers, his eyes distantly locked at the wall, as if an answer was about to pop out just by glaring at it. Danhauser had the idea of calling the army of Magician to be with them, it could definitely work, Hanezu Himejima and Walburga don't seem the types of detecting multiple targets hiding in different zones. Even if Soror Shien was putting Danhauser in a corner, all her abilities came from Incinerate Anthem and powerful barriers.

The issue was Mater Ozma, Augusta.

It wouldn't be too baffling if Augusta could notice the scent of magic from different sectors and from far away, that alone could be an alarm for the Agency alongside Hexennacht to retreat in that mystic light. Danhauser always saw Augusta as the final boss, that was until Vali warned him about the traitor of Grigori.

And so far, Grigori is made up by Cadre-Class Fallen Angels, if we discount Freed Sellzen—if he's right now a member—Raynare and company.

"We could screw-up the negotiation and just fight head-on, just like Lavinia said," Danhauser gritted his teeth, shaking his head. "But we still need to buy some time for Grauzauberer to appear and it's unlikely we'll win… damn."

"Danhauser Belial," Vali's voice reached his ears, it came from the living room. "… come here."

The Heir blinked but stood up and pushed the door open. "What's wrong, Vali…?" He trailed off after discovering the problem. "Oh."

"…" Vali was in a comfy chair, pointing an accusing finger at Lavinia Reni who stole the sofa to continue her sound sleep, mumbling happy incoherent things.

"… How long was she there?" Danhauser couldn't help but ask.

Vali casually shrugged, used to this. "Maybe while we were sparring outside."

"And we never noticed her sleeping on the sofa when we came back," the Pure Devil continued, nearly disappointed.

"Never."

Danhauser ran a hand through his hair. "So, unlucky." He turned to the silent half-breed. "What do you want me to do? Pick her up and lay her on her bed?"

"You could do that," replied Vali. "Or stay here and keep an eye out while I bring a pillow and a bed sheet for her, whichever is fine."

"Alright," Danhauser nodded, dropping to his seat. "I'll make sure she doesn't go anywhere."

He prefers to do that anyway. Carrying her bridal-style would be awkward, mostly if she suddenly wakes up in Danhauser's arms.

"Good," Vali said, walking up the staircase.

"Maybe he'll find a rope to tie her up," Danhauser's eyes darted over the somnambulist Mage. "Sometimes I wonder how it feels to walk while sleeping." He spoke mostly to himself. "Obviously dangerous, but… nevermind."

The blonde snored quietly.

"… I should try activating my Senjutsu," Danhauser crossed his legs and closed his eyes. "Who knows? Maybe I'll have it now. Who am I kidding? Of course, I won't."

Straightening his back, he inhaled and exhaled.

* * *

How quickly nighttime made its presence known over them.

The whole team never had the blessing to even enjoy the morning's breakfast and the youthful evening, all thoughts preserved on what could be the last fight against the Agency and Hexennacht.

Cold sweat glistened on his furrowed brow. With a hand carefully reaching for his lower back, he passed his finger over the sheathed sword, he also made sure Tobio had three swords, as Siegfried requested.

Danhauser Belial had plenty of time to think about the matter at hand. More so when they were impatiently waiting for the enemy to appear, so they can commence the negotiations.

The route to get in here wasn't troublesome, however, when they walked on the streets it was like walking once again in the Natsume Minagawa's neighborhood, empty. This occasion with the dreaded feeling of someone observing their movements.

A blinding light suddenly emerged far away from the group, they brought a hand up to block the light striking their orbs.

"So it begins," Danhauser drew a sharp breath and hesitantly lowered his hand. Catching the sight of seven figures.

Two of them were the white cat and red hawk respectively.

Another one was Walburga the Purple Flame, floating and looking ready to incinerate Danhauser.

One of them was recognizable by Lavinia Reni and Vali Lucifer.

"Natsume!" Lavinia's eyes moistened at the sight, her body induced by a sudden passion to rush at her.

"…" Vali grabbed her by the wrist, stopping any foolish movements. He made sure to glare daggers at the elderly woman in purple robes who chuckled dryly.

"Natsume! It's me, Lavinia!" The Faustus cried out. "R-remember?"

Her hopes slowly buried down when Natsume showed no human emotions. The caramel-haired Utsusemi only wore the menacing smile on her face, just like the Utsusemi beside her.

Valerie Tepes shot a sidelong glance at the mutated Knight.

Words weren't necessary to understand the 'I told you' look, Slash Dog preferred to avert his gaze with a click of his tongue.

Siegfried and Bova Tannin stayed on guard, ready to charge when they see threatening movements.

"…" Danhauser approached the moment to peer over the kitty's owner. It was just another student from Tobio Ikuse and Sae Toujou's school, the uniform he was wearing was the proof he only had. Kouki Samejima, another important character of Slash/Dog and one of the Evil Fiends.

 **"You're the Devil coming from the House of Belial, I presume?"** Danhauser followed with his gaze the powerful voice. On the middle between Kouki and Natsume stood the middle-aged man in a three-piece suit. The one behind the incident on the Luxury Liner and kidnapping the innocent and silencing the media.

"You must be Hanezu," Danhauser said in a neutral tone. He knew they needed to buy time for Grauzauberer to come.

"Indeed," the tough looking man said. "I am infamously known as Himejima Hanezu. As you might already be aware, I have undertaken the role of leader of the organization called the 'Utsusemi Agency'."

"… The Five Principal Clans." Tobio Ikuse by mistake mumbled, catching the terrorist's attention.

Hanezu brought a hand to his chin, a look of interest sparking in those purple eyes. "It is obvious you read the message I wrote for you, Prince Belial, or why else would you be here?" The man smiled amusingly for a short time. "If I stand correct then it makes things simple. I wish to address some things with you, Prince Belial."

Danhauser remained silent.

Hanezu took this chance to continue. "Why not fight side by side as equals? No, for argument's sake, apart from stabbing us down with that spear of yours, for the present—instead of us, why not overthrow those abominations from the Five Principal Clans?"

"Abominations?" Danhauser repeated, eyebrows furrowed.

The man smiled pleasantly at his reaction. "Ah, caught your attention, didn't I?" He chuckled shortly. "There's a dark background that the Five Clans are hiding. Those that inherited the Sacred Beasts are the ones affected by this monstrosity. Hence I left my Clan."

"I thought you were expelled?" Danhauser carefully said. "For being rebellious, something along those lines."

"Just fake rumors," Hanezu shrugged. "I was disgusted enough to leave and to my surprise, I wasn't the only one sharing the same low views over the acts of the Five Clan. Thus, the Agency has been born thanks to the generous help of the Wizards of Oz—"

"Hexennacht," the elderly woman corrected him.

"—we began designing one of our greatest creation—the Utsusemi in hopes to locate the remaining Four Fiends."

 _"Could Vali be right?"_ Danhauser glance at the silver-haired. _"A Fallen Angel is helping them out? Mostly the Wizards of Oz on fabricating these Sacred Gears by copying Azazel's methods… why though?"_

"How can you sound so damn proud about this?" Tobio clenched his fists. "Turning teenagers into machines just to capture the Four Fiends!"

"You wouldn't understand, Ikuse Tobio or should I address you as _Himejima_ Tobio?" Hanezu mused, freezing the brunet. "Those of you who possess the Four Fiends will be retrieved immediately."

"Bad news for you, we don't have any of the Four Fiends anymore," Danhauser pointed out, nodding at the two Utsusemi. "We had two of them until they had the misfortune to meet you, other than that we have none."

"I know you have none of them," Hanezu assured him. "We found the two remaining one's locations."

"How do you know my name?" Slash Dog demanded in disbelief, finally breaking from his surprise. "We've never met before."

The man laughed. "How can you be so sure? After all, Ageha locked all your memories." He said, shocking all the youngsters. "But you're correct. I've never met you, but I've met your grandmother. She was a member of the Himejima Clan. They banished her for not having the desired power that the Himejima wanted, that's the story of your grandmother, Himejima Tobio."

"… It's Ikuse." Tobio growled. "Himejima was nothing more than my grandmother's maiden name."

"Although you may think so, as far as those in the underside of this country are concerned the Himejima bloodline takes precedence. However, it's ironic. For the _'Dog'_ to be of the genealogy of one who was expelled from the Clan… and later then, _'Lightning'_ appeared in the picture. Sometimes I wonder if the Himejima Clan is cursed or being derided by a god of mischief…"

 _"Lightning?"_ Danhauser parroted, shaking his head, not the time. "Where are the bereaved parents of the Utsusemi?"

"Confidential information," the elderly woman sharply replied before Hanezu could speak. "Chief-Engineer. Cut the chase. We shouldn't be speaking with them, to begin with."

"I can't believe I stand in agreement with you," Lavinia spat out, glaring at Augusta.

Mater Ozma snorted indignantly. "I have no words for you. Traitor."

Danhauser frowned at her words.

"Interesting," the stray Himejima eyed the Faustus. "Not only are the gang of crows blocking our objectives, but Lord Pheles sent one of her students into the fray, you weren't lying, Mater Ozma." He sighed, disillusioned. "Just with that alone, I presume that this alliance was never meant to happen?"

Everyone slowly posed a fighting stance, Danhauser reached for the sword under his lower back. His eyes wandering over the blonde Magician who had a troubled look. _"Where's Grauzauberer, Lavinia?"_

Much to their surprise, the man never missed a heart's beat, unfazed by their display. His shoulders slumped like a disappointed father. "It appears so." The snap of his fingers was enough for Vali and Bova to charge forward. "Augusta."

"At last."

The two Dragons unwillingly froze like statues, the corners of their bodies faintly glowing. Bova's fist just inches away to send Hanezu's head flying to United States airlines.

Vali grunted.

"The hell…!" Bova roared, shakily trying to at least gash out the terrorist's cheek, but his arm just quivered in place. "I-I can't MOVE!"

They weren't the only ones affected.

Just when Hanezu had thundered his digits the whole group felt their feet slowly retreating from the floor. An unknown, invisible force grabbed their throats, clenching them. They struggled to kick the air, their head's pounding as every cell in their bodies screamed for oxygen.

Not only that, but they felt how slowly they ribcages were getting squeezed.

Danhauser instinctively reached out for his neck, feeling the veins popping out at his touch. His wide eyes weakly darted over Augusta, whose fingertips dully glowered. He noted how she shot a cold glare at Bova who stubbornly moved around in mid-air, hissing in pain whenever the Dragon harshly attempted to escape.

"Stupid lizard!" Walburga snapped, cloaking her fingers with holy fire with, grinning. "Gotta turn you to ashes first it seems… fine by me! Hyahahaha!"

"We'll see about that, bitch!" Bova growled.

Walburga eyebrow quivered. "You…!"

Danhauser abused her distraction. Mentally, albeit with difficulties, he invoked demonic ripples circling their foes and fired. The Force behind the attack rushed all at once and bombard over their enemies like a nuclear warfare.

Just the briefest second they were airborne before roughly landing on land, gasping for air.

"Telekinesis," Siegfried breathlessly said, carefully standing up. "That's her specialty!"

"Shit man," Tobio cursed, massaging his sore throat. "How are we going to beat that?!"

Jin barked in agreement!

"Stop chatting and get ready," Valerie said. "The battle's about to begin."

Just as the Dhampir said, the curtain of smoke dispersed, revealing the three terrorist and the two Utsusemi safely inside a powerful barrier.

"What a bunch of troublesome brats," Augusta growled in annoyance, disabling her defensive spell and barely soaring away from Vali's fist. "You again. Hadn't you learned your lesson back then?"

"I'll make you pay!" Vali vowed, going for the kick only to be slapped away by Augusta's magic.

"Now!" Danhauser snapped his fingers, building demonic circles behind him, only to be instantly burned down by the purple flames.

"Hyahaha!" The laugh of Walburga reached his ears. He looked up and found the witch on the air, arms painted in purple fire.

She smirked. "I'm so lucky! My date tonight is _sooo_ attractive~!" She fanned herself. "I'm _too_ nervous to speak~!"

"I've actually read that conversation is overrated," said Danhauser, calling upon Worthlessness. "Just try not speaking at all. In fact, let's go ahead and start that now."

"FINE BY ME!" Walburga threw fireballs at him, only to be intercepted by a sudden wall of ice.

"Now what—!" She yelped in surprise when an icicle slashed her cheek. She chuckled dryly. "My _my_ , Lavinia~! How rude of you to interrupt our honeymoon, Hyahahaha!"

 _"That explains why everything's cold."_ Danhauser felt the temperature dropping way down for his tastes, he could literally see his breath.

"Where are they, Lavinia?" Danhauser demanded after feeling her presence, trying to scare off Walburga away with many spells as possible. "Where's Grauzauberer?"

The girl in question tipped her hat as the ice slowly spread across her. "… I-I don't know, but it's too early, let's just be patient, they'll come, I know they will."

"Tch, tch," Walburga wagged her index finger, building distance from Augusta and Vali's fight, her Mater's got this—she proudly thought. "Cold, _cold_ as always, you dumb popsicle! You know who wouldn't approve of this attitude? Glin—!" She stopped just to melt a rain of icicles. "Is that all you got, bitch?"

"I'll leave the rest in your hands, she's mine!" Soror Demise declared before soaring to the skies and fearlessly clashing with Soror Shien's flames with her ice.

"Master!" Danhauser broke from his trance after a hand grabbed his shoulder. "Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine Siegfried," Danhauser took a deep breath, slowly relaxing.

"You sure?" Tobio asked, Valerie, Bova, and Jin joining in. He nodded at Walburga. "You almost got turned into bacon back there."

"Just remind me to thank Lavinia later," Danhauser glared at Hanezu. "Hello there."

"…" Hanezu scowled at their stances. "You youngsters are starting a habit of costing us more time, even yours."

"My bad, but I'm having trouble translating your words," said Danhauser, scratching his ear. "I only hear bullshit coming from your mouth."

Hanezu growled. "Enough talking!" The two Utsusemi alongside their respective Evil Fiends jumped in front of him. "Balance Breaker!"

The Hawk and Cat were engulfed in a white a light, shocking the group.

"Well, shit," Bova blurted out, but with an excited grin. "Things are about to get messy! Heh!"

Danhauser gritted his teeth, he never expected for the two fiends to already have their balance breakers! He summoned his cheap version of Babylon and fired at once at the evolving Sacred Gears, hoping to do as much damage as possible.

The spells hit the targets with extreme precision, getting in return primal roars from the creatures. Unfortunately, his demonic bullets were now getting reflected by wind blades and gusts, coming from the former hawk, Kyuuki.

 _"A Griffon,"_ Danhauser contained a gasp, _"Just as big as Bova!"_

Faster than a predator, the former white cat, Toukotsu, ran at an incredible speed, now striking the appearance of a white Bengal tiger, lightning coursing through its skin as it lunged at Danhauser's group.

"Watch out!" They barely dodged the sharp seven tails of the gigantic feline.

"Jin!" The brunet called out, his Dog turning into a black blade, but before he could make a move, Hanezu rushed and swung his monk staff in his head, knocking him to the floor.

"You… I'll crush you!" A battle-cry exploded from Bova's throat as he jumped in front of Hanezu. He never had the chance to enjoy the expression on his face, too occupied tasting the clenched talon that embedded itself over his cheek.

Surprisingly, Bova didn't show any signs of pain. Rather, he snorted smoke from his snout, clearly disappointed by the force. Grasping the Griffon's wrist that had just punched him he snarled "Weak!" before whirling around, dragging Kyuuki along the ride until the Dragon thrown him into the air, quickly rushing after him.

"Siegfried, catch!" Danhauser tossed him the sword sheathed in his lower back. "You can take care of Toukotsu, can you?"

The former Exorcist nodded confidently, pulling out his twin swords and catching the third one with his Twice Critical. "Leave it to me."

And in the blink of a flash, the Bengal Tiger and Knight clashed in the middle of the battlefield, the Evil Beast roaring like thunder.

The Heir noted how furiously Tobio engaged with Hanezu. He turned to the quieter of the group. "Valerie, you need to be in a safe place, you have to heal them whenever they need your help, understood?"

The Romanian nodded. "Going somewhere?"

Danhauser pulled out his spear. "I'm going to help Vali, there's no way he can defeat Augusta alone."

"And with your help, the tables might, unexpectedly, turn around?"

"Maybe not," The gray-haired boy admitted, stretching his bat-wings. "But its worth a shot, take care!"

"…" Valerie watched for a moment as Danhauser took off to the sky. She sighed. "Good luck, Mr. Belial."

* * *

Danhauser Belial knew he was catching up when a flying car nearly crushed his head like a watermelon.

It wasn't the only object accidentally thrown at him, sometimes a lamppost or other debris would find a way to slow down the Devil. It didn't stop him from reaching the chaotic fight of Augusta and Vali Lucifer, but it somewhat slowed him down on reaching the destination.

The positive thing of slowing down was that Danhauser had sufficient time to find and get behind cover when a jaw-dropping bizarre power of telekinesis swept through the town. Roofs were flung like Frisbees, windows shattered, a few taller buildings were left with a large hole in them.

"What are you doing?" Vali asked, joining Belial on his hiding spot not so long ago. "I said that I'll take care of her!"

"…" Danhauser casted a sideways glance at Vali, carefully analyzing his physical condition. He was sweating and taking deep breaths, tired but not near the stage of exhaustion. Possibly half of his demonic remains gone. A few bruises hidden by clothes. The adrenaline in his blood and his Sacred Gear were the only things keeping him conscious.

The dragon on his shoulder was intact.

"I'm here to help you out," Danhauser responded.

"I can handle her _alone_ ," The White Dragon insisted.

"No you can't," Danhauser hissed. "Anyways, we'll jump in when her powers tones down. We need to catch her by surprise so be careful." He said, tightly holding his spear. He knew if the timing was horrible, the chances of getting killed are higher.

"Ready to go?" Danhauser softly asked.

Vali just grunted, clearly upset.

Danhauser had thought that maybe it would be a good idea to make a signal because the way Vali used the last second to jump out of cover caught Belial off-guard. Even so, he couldn't be angry at him, it wasn't as if Mater Ozma hadn't found them yet.

"Two of them now," Augusta icily remarked, watching the two Devils plowing into the clearing. "Fine then!" Immediately throwing rubble with her telekinesis.

In an instant, Danhauser and Vali became blurred and vanished from sight, easily evading her attacks. They teleported in front of the terrorist and shortly thrashed out at her, only for Augusta to slap them with her unmatchable powers, launching them downward.

Despite their efforts of maintaining control in the air, the two of them crashed like meteors down to earth, their harsh landing shaping cracks on the streets. They limped and shakily began lifting from the ground, glaring up.

And suddenly, they were forced to their knees. The two individuals met the ground once again, feeling the sudden pressure sought a home on their backs, painfully their bodies trembled. In a blink of an eye, their limbs betrayed them, Augusta spell flatting them on the floor, prompting the ground to crack and cave in.

Danhauser cringed when a _'snap'_ came from Vali's body. He was actually starting to feel his bones slowly losing their endurance. The way she manipulated her magic was obvious. It was a sight to behold, she was a master to the point that even gravity obeyed every single command. A growl of annoyance left his throat. He knew he would be struggling fighting against her, after all, she's Headmistress of Hexennacht, but this was too much for him. It wounded his pride, somehow.

Gray demonic power that laid asleep within him began to steer up and speed up to cover him with a kind of shield. Suddenly feeling his body safe from the unstoppable force. He casually began standing up, even if he was in the middle of the spell, he dashed forward to meet up with the culprit, his Worthlessness armor became ferocious around him.

Augusta's eyes almost left her sockets, but thanks to the fist that slammed into her face with the speed and strength of a launched missile they remained, but at the cost of flying away.

Mater Ozma flew at best just a few meters away from the teenagers, before snapping her fingers and calling out a flying broom, that caught her before her back could crash into a building. Her hand instinctively made it around her closed, damaged eye, her vision distorted and it was difficult to open it, the crest of Belial laid there.

Her remaining eye glimmered with fury.

Danhauser slid to a crouch next to Vali, picking up his beaten spear while not looking away from Augusta. "Go back to Valerie, she'll heal you. Then come back."

The White Dragon looked ready to protest but stopped when a deep and powerful voice echoed in his head. **[Do it, Vali.]** The being said. **[Your arm is broken and your leg too. Your ribcage looks like it's about to snap just by touching it, you're not in good conditions to fight.]**

The half-breed clenched his teeth, passing his sleeve over his bleeding mouth. "Whatever," he shot a warning glare at Danhauser. "I'll come back, _stronger_."

"Looking forward to it," The Heir said just as Vali used his Sacred Gear to temporarily disappear from the fight.

"Your house trait's troublesome," Augusta spat, shooing her flying broom away whilst invoking her telekinesis to remain in the air. "The power to nullify magic. Use it on a Magician and you'll leave them defenseless." She cackled like a witch. "The House of Belial truly is a nightmare for us mages."

He dropped his battered spear and flared his demonic power into a full-on mode. As it burned around him, making sure that his grayish skin was protected as much as he could. He knew he couldn't keep this 'armor' for the whole fight, there are moments that he'll need to disable it just for the sake of not draining himself of demonic power. If he, somehow is out of juice, he'll become the chewing toy of Augusta.

The traces of gray reached up to Danhauser's wings, and he was off. A jet stream of gray energy was left behind as the gray-haired youth flew at his adversary with absurd speed, shaping demonic circles behind him and firing his house trait at Mater Ozma.

She growled and with her powers started collecting whatever was within her reach, shaping with the materials a horrible looking wall that blocked all the projectiles hurling at her. Fortunately, just when Worthlessness made contact with the telekinetic force that held the wall, it began losing strength and fell like raindrops on a cloudy day.

Augusta didn't bat an eye nor showed signs of bafflement, she saw this coming from far away, she's not stupid. The world through her remaining eye began tinting in white by her magic. Her hands vanished inside the silvery glow that burst from her palms. Each grew into a spherical shape, they pulled back on Augusta's hand, levitating the biggest rocks, the broken vehicles that were spread from the wrecked town, raining a storm of meteorites in her wake.

Danhauser halted and watched in awe at the incoming wave that was chasing after him. There was no way he could destroy Augusta's work in time. If he had Power of Destruction, maybe the probabilities would rise. He deactivated his Clan trait from his body to not run out of energy, taking off from another direction as he kept doing aerobatics to evade whatever his foe threw at him.

He wrapped himself in Worthlessness again and went after her, his body not flinching when lightning or fire struck him, shrugged easily by his House Trait. He tangled his hand in her hair and made sure the crest of his Clan stayed printed somewhere on her body. Danhauser inhaled, reared his arm back and roared as his fist slammed into her stomach.

While Danhauser crossed his fingers for Augusta to crash on the floor or building, her flying broom once again appeared to assist her. Those grey eyes that settled over the mad eye of Augusta, how her twisted, wrathful eye that shined under the pale moon, it brought a chill to his back.

He could feel her killing intent.

"I'm a moron," Danhauser facepalmed. _"Why did I just punch her? I could've just shot a demonic bullet in her head!"_ He paused, glancing at his own hand. "Maybe I'm not ready to kill after all…"

A murderous growl fled from Augusta's mouth as a white aura coated her, crackling like electricity, most of her powers moving to her hands as it slowly began to intensify with magic, she saw the projectiles of Worthlessness going after her. She just brought objects into the air, impeding their path and buying her time to charge her power. Her veins popped out and pulsed, a fair warning to Mater Ozma which she gladly ignored and kept pushing her limits.

 _"Why is she still alive?! How_ strong _are you?!"_ Danhauser kept firing torrents of his whole arsenal, in an attempt to at least wound, or burn all her fuel to the point of severing exhaustion. Because of his enhanced vision, he noted how the streets under him cracked, chunks of pavement bounced on the floor, the buildings trembled and the windows were ready to explode inwards, vibrating.

No matter how much demonic power he hurled at her, she would block it with a car or dodge it while sitting on her possessed broom. He could just go and punch her once again, but the probability of getting hit with a lamppost as if she was playing baseball was a huge possibility, he won't risk it just to get wounded.

So he spun around and retreated for safety.

The Witch of the East smirked at the sight. She extended her arm forward as three white rings began spiraling at their own accord. As the twirl fastened as time went on, the air around her began to deform and shuffle distinctly by the incoming force of Augusta's strongest attack.

Danhauser gulped and flapped his pair of wings faster to retreat from Augusta's landing spot. He reached to the heart of the town before the witch launched her arm forward in a punch-like motion, the overcharged spell went downward. "PERISH!"

From all the distance he has built, the overpowered blast proved to be superior in terms of speed. The second that Augusta's telekinesis arrived on earth a mammoth wave of the city's remains erupted from the ground and eclipsed the floating Magician by a flood of rubble. Correction, 'flood' was an insult to her skills— the _tsunami_ of rubble digested everything, flattened homes and tossed vehicles. It was a wall of destruction, cold and powerful.

Rushing, racing, _roaring_ —angry froth foaming from between its lips. Danhauser's body was paralyzed with fear, his breath coming out short and sharp. He knew he had to take off, but his legs and wings refused to move. It crawled at him as swift and unforgiving as an ax, felling anything in its path.

Finally, he broke from his shock, cursing and raising his hands. His household circle erupted into life over his palms as he aimed them at forthcoming, unstoppable tide, locking himself on a five-layered barrier, ready—not—to clash with the scaled-down cataclysm.

And a moment later, the light disappeared.

* * *

Danhauser Belial coughed sharply that he may accidentally puke two lungs out. His night vision was surprisingly strongly illuminating the surroundings than before. He knew he was under rubble and other things that the tsunami had devoured.

He again coughed, followed by a short gasp. His lungs begging for fresh air that he longed for above the surface. The air thick with dust. Sweat lingering in the air. The walls closed in. The darkness was overwhelming.

It felt suffocating.

He tried to shift from his fetal position, chuckling whenever he made a single move, soft or sharp, a jolt of pain would appear.

 _"I don't know why I laugh while I'm in pain. I need help."_ He still persisted in moving his arms, and the more he did so, the closer he was to the moon's light. With the remaining tenacity he had in his system, he drove his hands out, tossing rubble out.

 _"I knew I should've brought a shovel,"_ He made sure to keep his eyes closed while pushing rubble and dust out of the way. When he finished, he slowly began crawling out of the rabbit's hole.

What he saw made his brain go blank.

All around were household items: teapots, kettles, toasters, chairs, and computers. Every one of them saturated and broken. All these things people 'needed' from the stores were now just hunks of metal and yet Danhauser had to be glad that his heart beat in his chest and his bones weren't as cold as those scattered appliances. The homes that still stood were beyond repair, the walls leaning, and roofs are gone. The vehicles flipped over, some missing wheels, windows shattered and even a few had their alarms ringing loudly.

He crept again to pull himself out of the hole and laid back on a wall's remains. His face was dirty, a forehead full of blood as it slowly slithered down to his cheek. Bruises and scratches scarred his bare torso and arms, no signs of clean skin could be seen.

"You survived," came the exhausted voice of Augusta above him, he weakly looked up as the Headmistress of Hexennacht hovered after him. He could feel a menacing glow from her remaining eye. She didn't look good either, apart from her battered eye, blood was slowly oozing out of numerous wounds in her face, nose, and arm, a small but relentless flow of crimson, but however, she felt no pain. That attack consumed a lot of magical residues.

"You really are a dangerous foe." She stood in front of him, but not close enough for Danhauser to use a sneak attack. "Now I see why Walburga was defeated by you. Congratulations on getting so far."

 _"She will not get the better of me,"_ He fought back a cough and a curse as he left the ground. His tongue was soaked with the taste of blood. Bruised and winded, with a leg in agony, he used his wings and as previous times, Worthlessness flashed on his body.

"Pointless," was Augusta's blunt answer as she waved her hand to slap him away with telekinesis, but because of the Belial Clan trait, nothing happened. A click of her tongue echoed around her before taking off to the skies, easily evading the demonic bullets that tried to connect with her. "Give up already!"

Danhauser never retorted back. He wasn't thinking when he let out his boiling Worthlessness and antipathy, his body took over and barely dodged the distorted air that flew past his face. Just the sensation of a slash grazing his cheek brought a dreadful chill on his spine. It burned.

He flew straight to the air, invoked a dozen of demonic spears and rained them down at the Stray Magician.

The impact like thousands of venomous blades trying to pierce apart Mater Ozma's barrier, some of them sank deeper than others, but not enough to cleave her flesh or poke it. She hastily dismantled her defensive spell and repelled the air around her clenched fist, sending a devastating shockwave toward her opponent at the speed of _light_.

It hit his abdomen with such force blood pooled into his mouth. Pain erupted from the point of impact as he was blown away from Augusta.

The Devil hit earth with enough force to send the rubble into the air, reaching a stage of obliteration and fatigue that he never thought it ever existed.

Augusta, still floating above him, rose up a hand, slowly shaping a large spear of metal that she recollected from her surroundings. She took aim. "… It ends here."

Danhauser couldn't give a reply, weakly he tried to raise an arm to keep a barrier up but quickly realized how futile it was when he had to bite his lip to keep from crying out. A sudden sharp pain lanced through his gut and colorful spots flashed in front of his eyes. Behind all those spots censuring his vision, he could perfectly register the lance jammed its way into his abdomen and twisted. Then she pulled back, leaving behind a wound impossible to survive or heal.

Danhauser let out a strangled scream and felt blood well in his throat, tears slithering from his cheeks as Augusta properly targeted his skull.

Her concentration was cut off when a strong blast of demonic power worked together to create a massive explosion that charged into Augusta like a nuclear weapon, creating a cloud of smoke and fire around her.

While she survived the unexpected attack with her strongest rounded barrier, the speed, and force that rammed into her defenses made her bounce and when she landed she kept doing so, accidentally building some distance between her and the new adversary.

Finally, she came to a sudden stop whilst dispelling her magical shield, quickly locking eyes with the humanoid silhouette behind the curtain of smoke. The first two thoughts that burned her brain was 'machine' and 'dragon'. The white robotic wings, the large mechanical tail, the draconic aura, they certainly made it easier to imagine.

"…Really?" The Heir coughed out blood, enough for the white helmet to look at Danhauser's direction, yellow orbs clashing with his gray, tired ones. "You... you had your armor and you never used it?"

"I could've still defeated her without it," Vali Lucifer boasted, enough to make his Great-Grandfather blush. "Even if I was healed, I didn't want to use it, but Azazel told me to finish this now."

"Cheeky shota," Danhauser blinked the tears away and glared at the White Dragon, slowly breaking into a weak, shaky smile. "G-glad you're fine, though."

He just nodded and tossed a golden chalice at him. "That girl healed me with that, she told me to lend it to you." He paused. "…You appear to need it."

Like a thirsty wanderer on a desert, he lunged after the Sephiroth Graal and grabbed it by its waist, immediately feeling its miracles working on him, the pain in his stomach slowly withered away by the splendid, golden light.

 _"Thank you so much, Valerie,"_ Danhauser sighed in relief.

"When you're done, get ready to fight," said Vali, taking a stance as Augusta slowly broke from her short break. The elderly woman was tired, too.

"Wait," Danhauser grabbed Vali's feet, stopping him. "I'll… think of a plan. Distract her, but if you can defeat her, just _do it_."

Even if the helmet shielded the half-breed's face, he could picture the confused look. Regardless, he weakly nodded, hesitantly. "Fine."

He saw Vali charging at her with an immense speed that even Augusta showed signs of awe, but she composed herself and dodged, choosing to stay on the defensive, for now.

 _"Because of his speed, Augusta can barely follow Vali,"_ mused Danhauser, using the shattered wall to pull himself away, making sure Valerie's Sacred Gear's still clutched in his fingers. "She can't use her telekinesis on him if he keeps moving—she needs to stop him at least from flying around first."

 _"Just a theory, though, maybe she's just low on power now,"_ Danhauser felt how the golden glow disappeared, along with the chalice, returning back to its owner. Something that he noticed, is that the pain is also gone, he peeked down at his stomach, the only hole remaining belonged to the ruined shirt, his gray skin looked just as when he left the coffin on the very first day, perfect.

Danhauser looked around desperately, this wasn't the time to praise the powers of the Holy Grail, he was in the middle of a fight and Vali can't contain her for too long, even if he's the White Dragon Emperor and a Lucifer.

His eyes finally locked on the wall he'd used to lay down when Augusta stabbed him. He flinched when the gross memories returned—even the blood was oozed there, staining the rubble. Even so, he ran at it and placed his hand on it,

One last look at his surroundings, Danhauser noted the half-destroyed buildings scattered around them, he was standing in the middle. After that, he started to form a gray seal on the deformed wall.

He moved his hand away and watched how a string of resin shot from it, stretching before its tip glued over one of the distanced houses.

"…" Danhauser placed his index finger on the rope of resin and made it wobble. He nodded, satisfied before looking up at the fight. "Hang in there Vali, I've got a plan."

* * *

Vali Lucifer flew, evading with ease fire and lightning, stalking after the Headmistress of Hexennacht. Hitting head on one of her earliest barriers she ever made, saving her life. He could feel the vibrations coursing through his arms when the hit landed.

He snarled, like an aggravated animal as his punches started to fly so fast that thousands of attacks appear to happen in the blink of an eye.

Augusta began sweating, as she noticed a crack spread just by a single punch of him, quickly shaping another when the silver-haired went for a second try, facing the same consequences. The air distorted around them as Vali kept recklessly forcing the stray magician to stay down.

Patience along with her stamina burned away and became ashes. Her remaining eye and Vali began to glow simultaneously—the latter was forced to stop from his barrage of punches, giving Augusta proper time to ward off her oppo—!

 **[Divide!] [Divide!] [Divide!]**

A weak gasp left her mouth as her spell began to weaken around Vali. Her barriers also shattered and she nearly fell off if it wasn't for the broom that answered its master's desperate command. "H-How?!" Her voice cracked. "You have to touch me first! You never touched me!"

"You did," Vali simply replied. His voice sounded different behind that helmet, deep.

"DAMN YOU!" A frustrated scream rose from her battered throat. As a blast of demonic power almost blew half of her face off, taking in return strands of her hair. She wasn't stupid enough to get hit or get touched by him! An infinitely long invisible arm stretches out and punches Vali from his spot, not expecting the quick and wrathful attack.

She understood now. Just by grabbing him with her telekinesis, she already made physical contact.

That's absurd!

"Tch," Vali grunted, dusting his white armor from debris. "She's better in magic than Lavinia." He recognized, taking off into the air and clashing with Augusta's invisible attack with his own, dividing it. He casted an annoyed glance over his shoulder, just where Danhauser Belial was supposed to be on the ground.

To his surprise, the gray-haired flew beside him with demonic energy circles flowing to life behind him. "Now!"

The demonic circles fired bullets of demonic power at Augusta, enough to make the half-breed frown at the spell. He won't deny it, while the attack is huge and fast, is this what it took the gray-haired so much to fight? Is this his supposed plan? He would've preferred if he just attacked Augusta on her back while she's distracted.

"You…!" Augusta gritted her teeth and raised her hands. From her palms, multiple vehicles raised at her command as she focused it on the incoming demonic wave.

"DIVIDE HER!"

Vali smirked, finally catching on. "I see."

 **[Divide!] [Divide!] [Divide!]**

For each divide, her telekinesis began to dwindle until the vehicles fell back on earth, leaving Mater Ozma vulnerable and shocked.

Just as the attack impacted their foe. Augusta felt her body empty from magic circuits, catching sight of multiples Worthlessness sigils running over her body and on her magic broom, enough for the floor brush to lose its powers.

Her body twirled and jerked as she fell. The wind on her face made it impossible to breathe, she felt like she'd suffocate. Luckily, her back never met the cold and hard rubble that she created with her tsunami. Her landing was soft and was about to bounce if it wasn't for the stickiness of her life savior, pinning her.

She tried to quickly stand up, unable to do so. Her single eye wandered around and widen when she found her last stop.

Multiple strands of resin were connected by the structure lying in the middle with the surviving buildings induced by her wrath. The resin hanged loosely, dancing whenever a strong gust washed over them. It reminded her of a cobweb.

A _huge_ cobweb.

Her sixth sense pleaded to look up, her working eye squinting to have a better look at the figures hovering at her.

A gray light flashed in the skies, making it difficult to properly see the two Devils. When the light died out, she was threatened with another sight.

Danhauser flicked his fingers as numbers of the Belial crests were summoned behind him, each of them rotating at a slow pace. But the speed began to gradually pump up to the point where it was impossible to follow with the naked eye.

Danhauser heaved, cocked his arm, and for the last time, he—

"YOU'RE GONNA GET BEAT!" — _roared_ and swung downward at the air, his demonic circles flashing in response.

A shocking number of black, _clenched fists_ erupted from the seals, stretching straight at Augusta, who tried to destroy them or at least reverse their course of action, but stopped when the greyish aura surrounding the cobwebs under her brightened slightly, just a mere reminder of Danhauser's main Clan Trait.

"..." Understanding the hook she just ate, she closed her single eye and relaxed her aching muscles.

Pain arrived on her frail body before blackness appeared.

* * *

Danhauser Belial and Vali Lucifer returned to the wasteland, hiding their respective wings. Little remained of the town they just fought in. It would be impossible to hide evidence of a fight occurring here. The media would salvage this, that's for sure.

 _"Uncle is a liar, he'd said I could only invoke resin in structures..."_ The Heir disabled his strings of resin, shakily standing straight meanwhile passing a hand through his sweaty temple. _"Unless we count demonic circles as structures."_

Both peeped down at the body, it was impossible to see the wounds with all the resin that bathed her body, but just by seeing how her chest never puffed to inhale air, they knew deep inside that she's now burning in hell.

"Not bad," complimented Vali, disabling his armor and folding his arms. "We finished her."

"We're not done yet," said Danhauser. "Our team needs our help, let's hurry!"

"Not really," countered the silver-haired, adjusting the dragon toy on his shoulder. "Azazel told me they have it under control."

Danhauser frowned suspiciously. "Since when did he tell you that?"

The toy's mouth suddenly _opened_. **[Since you thought it was a _gooood_** **idea to handle that old hag alone.]**

Danhauser owlishly blinked. "… Huh?"

The White Dragon pinched his nose. "Azazel…"

 **[What?]** The Governor General said, playfully. **[The brat already knew about this long ago, what gives?]** The toy twitched its neck to face Belial, they could picture him smirking. **[Good job, by the way! For a second I thought I had to send Kokabiel in there!]**

Danhauser winced at the name, a troublesome figure in the future. "Why didn't you?" He asked. "We could've won this long ago."

 **[Vali told you about a traitor walking through the halls of Grigori, yeah?]** Azazel said, his voice not friendly anymore, it was scary **. [We know who he is and we were about to stop him… if it wasn't for his accomplices. Kokabiel is searching after him.]**

"Hexennacht?"

 **[Nope. More Grigori members.]** That made both Devils to perk their eyebrows up. **[It doesn't seem I'm the only one facing the problem, though. Mephisto also passed through the same conflict.]**

"So help never came after all," mused Danhauser, enough to elicit a grunt from Azazel. "Poor Lavinia, most of the magicians betrayed her."

Vali nodded in agreement, fist clenched.

 **[Nothing like that happened,]** Azazel assured them, they could hear how the Fallen Angel harshly tapped his fingers on a desk. **[It was just the Ace of Grauzauberer that stabbed Mephisto's back by quitting and disappearing from sight, not even sending reinforcements with his Sacred Gear before his departure. Reasons remain unknown.]**

Danhauser pinched the bridge of his nose, blowing an exhausted sigh. "… A lot of stuff is happening right now."

 **[Yeah. I'll stop by your house tomorrow and fill you up and your Peerage, go hit the bed. I'll handle the rest. You did great for a third fight! Expected from someone of a Belial!]**

"Thanks," Danhauser was about to wave goodbye before a thought came to his mind. "Wait. You know where I live?"

The Governor just gave a hearty laugh and ended the call.

"Right. He's Azazel," muttered Danhauser, tensely passing a hand through his hair.

They stayed silent for a while, their eyes roaming everywhere, it was awkward of the Heir.

Danhauser bitterly chuckled. "I-I can't believe what we just did."

"Hmm?" Vali cocked a curious eyebrow.

"This…" The gray-haired boy gestured at Augusta's corpse. "Finishing terrorists from causing trouble..."

"What's wrong with that?" The half-breed said, obviously confused. "You just said it. They asked for it."

"I know, I know," he trailed off, intuitively passing fingers where Augusta had stabbed him. "What I mean is… that's what we are going to do from now on? Fight terrorists?"

…

"… This fight is not going to be neglected by outside forces," Vali finally said. "More is going to come, especially when Azazel told us about the treachery in Grigori and Grauzauberer, we don't know if those two cases are connected in some way or if it was just bad luck striking us."

"…" Danhauser facepalmed in exasperation. "… So this is not the end."

"Not at all," Vali nodded. "It's just the beginning of something huge. The Utsusemi Agency, The Four Fiends and Hexennacht are just the tip of the iceberg. Be prepared."

Danhauser deeply sighed. "No _point in getting angry, it was my call to jump into this mess, just suck it up, Danhauser,"_ he glanced at the dark sky distantly, unfurling his wings. "Let's… let's just go and see the rest, okay?"

There was no response coming from The White Dragon Emperor, he just conjured his Sacred Gear and took off with Danhauser.

* * *

 **Slash/Dog only has two Volumes. In the second Volume Augusta was supposed to die, the first one Hanezu. Plus Natsume Minagawa and Kouki Samejima were not supposed to be Utsusemi, but here they are. If you want a culprit then point at Danhauser.**

 **I hope I didn't make Danhauser overpowered in this fight, I mean he obviously had the advantage because of Worthlessness, but if Augusta had Incinerate Anthem, he would be roasted.**

 **Either way, peerage. The updated list, the one I gave chapters back were wrong, the previous list was like the "Alpha" version, I had that years ago since I began creating my story, sorry about that.**

 **King - Danhauser Belial**

 **Bova Tannin- Crocodile**

 **Tobio Ikuse - Dog**

 ** **Siegfried - Great White Shark****

 ** ** ** **Queen - Unknown********

 **Lamb**

 **Mute Swan**

 **Hummingbird**

 **Noble False Widow**

 **Perhaps list: Octopus, Bighorn Sheep.**

 **As you can see, the Queen's the only one remaining. People were suggesting either Valerie or Lavinia, but I won't. I don't picture Valerie as a Queen. Simple as that. Lavinia on the other hand for multiple reasons. Dan already has enough of Longinus, giving him more would be absurd. Plus I plan to give Lavinia some justice.**

 **Those that are in the Perhaps List are honestly candidates for the Queen Piece, but I'm still unsure if to make them worthy of the Queen Piece, or even make them one of the main protagonists.**

 **oh well, I still have time to think who'll be second-in-command. Don't give me suggestions. I'll handle that myself. Thank you.**

 **I'm so happy DxD Hero came! Mostly because of one thing. We have now Siegfried's appearance! While on my fanfic he's suppose to be younger, now you have an idea how he'll look in the future. He defiantly looks like a mix of Kiba, Freed and a bit of Cao Cao, though.  
**

 **It was a nice touch that he resembles like Freed. Those who are aware of his background, that is.**

 **Cheers!**

 **Also, I hate writing fighting scenes c:**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Roots of All Evil  
**


	20. Roots of All Evil

**Chapter 20: Roots of All Evil**

* * *

The plasma screen sat in the corner like an unwelcome mirror. Danhauser Belial tried not to look, but with the image reflected off the mess on the screen seemed so much worse than the real thing. Even if Grigori took the corpse of Augusta out of the wasteland that he had fought alongside Vali Lucifer, the media would not hesitate to fill their pockets with money.

Even more when the Utsusemi or Hexennacht couldn't threaten them anymore.

Collective sighs echoed around the main room when the advertisements flashed over the eyes of the Peerage.

"Can you turn the TV off?" Danhauser desperately said. "Please?"

"Yeah, sure," Tobio Ikuse shut the television off. He laid the control aside and clasped both hands in contempt.

…

"We couldn't save them," the brunet whispered behind his hands. "Even if Hanezu was captured and Augusta killed, that girl found a way to escape with the two Evil Fiends."

"So that means we lost?" Bova Tannin growled. "Pathetic."

"Not really," answered Danhauser. "Just as Tobio said, we're interrogating Hanezu and killed Augusta, we defeated the heads of their respective Factions."

"Still," Valerie Tepes chimed in. "Their purpose is to complete the Four Fiend Project and overthrow the Five Principal Clans, not kill a group of brats playing hero, silencing us was a side-quest."

"Indeed," Siegfried dryly agreed while glaring the floor. "They have two of the four Evil Fiends and they know where the rest are. They're making good progress."

"Don't forget about the traitors in the Grigori and Grauzauberer," added Valerie, toying with her light-blonde pigtails. "There's a possibility that we're the main problem."

"Everyone, don't look a gift horse in the mouth," chided Danhauser. "Sure, we couldn't save two of the Evil Fiends, the Utsusemi and the parents which were one of our main missions, but yesterday we won a fight against the headmistress of Hexennacht and leader of the Utsusemi Agency. We weaken them to the point that they can't shut the media's mouth anymore."

"Yeah!" Tobio nodded eagerly. "Boss is right! Patience is the key here!"

"I think you mean _adaptability_ , Mr. Ikuse," said Valerie wryly.

Tobio just rolled his pale, grey eyes.

"Step by step, we're crushing them," muttered Bova with a troubled look. "We're getting low on enemies! Damn it!"

"Is that supposed to be bad?" Siegfried commented.

"Of course it is!" Bova snapped. "How are we going to get stronger if we don't have enemies lined up? I need my dose!"

"By training…?" Danhauser carefully said.

"Bah!" The Dragon waved off Danhauser's response. "That's only a warmup before a fight. Life doesn't get easier, you just get stronger!"

Tobio scratched his cheek. "So, what doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger?" He opined. "That's your view?"

Bova flexed an arm out. "Damn right! For each fight we won, all of us will become stronger without even noticing—we'll become unstoppable and slowly achieve our dreams!" He boomed a laugh. "Heh-heh-heh! I look forward to that day!"

The Dragon glared at the Romanian and Japanese. "You two. What're your dreams?"

The Dhampir curved her eyebrow. "My dream?"

Bova pointed at himself. "I'll become just as powerful as a Heavenly Dragon." Then at Danhauser. "He'll become the next Champion of the Rating Games and a Super Devil." Finally, at Siegfried. "The Exorcist will be the Strongest Swordsman."

"Former Exorcist," corrected Siegfried.

"A dream…" pondered Tobio, everyone could practically hear the gears wheeling. "… Back then, I wanted a normal life with Sae… but I guess that's now impossible to obtain given the Sacred Gear I had since I was a baby…"

Jin whined softly.

"…" Danhauser ignored the bitter laugh. "You're wrong." He said loud enough to catch his attention. "Even if you want to ignore it so badly. Hanezu wasn't wrong. The blood of Himejima runs in your veins. The fact that your grandmother was Ageha of the Himejima Clan is enough to be involved in the supernatural. You were so lucky to have Canis Lykaon, given the circumstances we're facing right now."

Jin gave a grateful bark!

"… Yeah, you're right." He said, breaking into a slight smile. He glanced down at the dog. "Sorry, little guy, never meant to throw all the fault at you. I'm just an idiot."

Jin barked contently!

"Either way, a dream…" drawled Slash Dog, his smile softening. "… When I was a kid, my granny always described me a place that made my heart thrum with excitement… she longed to visit that place before passing away. Unfortunately, she never succeeded." He paused. "Mount Huaguo. She always called it Kakazan or Mountain of Flowers and Fruit, where the most beautiful flowers and most delicious fruits bloom."

"So that's what you want, huh?" Bova grunted.

"What my granny and I want," he scratched his neck, chuckling. "But I doubt it exists…"

"It does," said Danhauser, shocking the brunet. "I never saw it myself, but we're in a world where Hell and Heaven are a thing. The Supernatural World, remember? You'll just have to give your best like everyone on the Peerage."

"… then I'll find it," Tobio clenched his fist. "Not only for myself but for granny as well. Of course, my main objective right now is to save the Utsusemi."

"Don't worry, we will," Danhauser promised before facing the silent half-breed. "What about you, Valerie?"

The girl in question just lazily shrugged. "Find someone," she replied, adding. "Before anyone asks 'who', mind your business."

Just as someone was about to speak their mind a knock came from the door, alerting the group of a new presence.

Their tensed shoulders slumped when a familiar, mature voice erased their worries. "It's us. Can we come in, please?"

"It's Lavinia," Danhauser said aloud and stood up. "I'll go welcome our guests."

* * *

As Danhauser Belial walked through the halls of Sae Toujou's previous house, he could practically feel the strong aura of pride flowing behind the door, obviously coming from Vali Lucifer.

 _"Azazel must be here, too,"_ Danhauser carefully spied from the peephole just to be sure. Satisfied, he pulled the door open, coming face to face with three visitors. "Good morning, you three."

Lavinia Reni gave her sweet—yet weak—smile followed by a hat tip.

Meanwhile, Vali stuck with a short nod.

"Yo," the one who answered was the Governor-General of Grigori, Azazel. He'd made a peace sign and flashed his well-known grin. "Looking good after what happened yesterday, brat."

Danhauser grimaced at his words, intuitively passing a hand through his stomach, flashbacks repeating over in his mind. "Yeah…"

Azazel noted this and quickly changed the subject. "Can we go inside?" He asked, grin not fading a bit. "Or are we going to talk about secret stuff in the middle of the street, eh?"

Danhauser shrugged off his trance and barely moved aside for the Fallen Angel to inspect the place. "So, what's up kid? How's your group?"

"We're alright," Danhauser closed the door, taking off with Azazel's group following suit. "A little exhausted after the fight, but we're holding up."

"Couldn't sleep?"

"We did, but only for few hours."

Azazel stopped and chuckled. "Oh yeah, I know the struggle." He said, tiredly stretching his arms. "Since yestarday we were hunting down the traitors. It was a pain to locate them, but we succeeded."

Danhauser's eyes opened wide. "Wait, you finished them off?"

The old crow winked and playfully ruffled Danhauser's hair. "Duh! Just a few though, I'll explain it in a sec!"

It was silence after that, Danhauser wouldn't be surprised that Azazel was just picturing Canis Lykaon and Sephiroth Graal to the point where anything surrounding him was nonexistent. The advantages of having the strongest Fallen Angel around is his knowledge over Sacred Gears,

Maybe he'll give hints of using any Sacred Gear or different ways of mastering it.

"Here we are," Danhauser leisurely gestured at the main room, his Peerage looking over their shoulders from their seats."My Peerage."

"Yo, brats!" Again, Azazel gave his peace sigh and casually slumping on a chair. "Damn! There is nothing better than taking a seat after a paperwork. Well, maybe porn tops it."

 _"Great, he stole my seat,"_ Danhauser grunted and stood with Vali and Lavinia.

"Uh..." Tobio clashed stares with Bova and Siegfried. "What?"

Azazel brought both arms behind his neck and relaxed. "Yesterday was a blast! I almost thought we were about to lose, but you kids proved me otherwise! Good work!"

"… Right," Tobio warily eyed him, carefully turning to his Master. "Who's that?"

"Grigori's leader, Azazel," Siegfried sighed. "The Orthodox Church was right, the Governor-General sure is a laid-back one."

"Oh shit!" Tobio bolted from his seat. "I-I'm so—!"

He stopped when a laugh erupted from Azazel's throat. "Gee, hold back your horses, Inugami of the Black Blade!" He said. "Seriously, you really need to loosen up, would ya? I'm not gonna to beat you up or something."

"I-I see…" Tobio mumbled and took his seat.

"Knowing who you are, introductions are not necessary, correct?" Valerie spoke.

Azazel smirked. "Not at all, Grail Maiden of the Tepes Clan."

Lavinia blinked, twice. "Wait, she's a _Dhampir_ and a _Longinus User_?" Her narrowed eyes jumped over Danhauser. "Why didn't any of you didn't tell me?"

"… Uh." Danhauser broke stares from her wounded gaze. "She's an important case."

"How so?"

"It's a negotiation between the House of Lucifuge and the Tepes Faction," Azazel easily responded. "But his uncle, Malacoda Malebranche, sent the girl to the Belial Territory just to be safe from the City of Dis and everything else if I have to guess."

 _"How much Intel does he know?"_ Danhauser kept his mouth zipped.

"Everything else?" Lavinia repeated.

"From the world per se," Azazel replied, rocking on his seat. "Unlike most of the Longinus-Tier that are capable of slaying Gods and even destroying the world. Sephiroth Graal has the power to resuscitate creatures that are capable of threatening the world and other Factions, no matter how long they were dead."

"She could make an army," Tobio warily eyed her.

Valerie noticed this and leered. "What's wrong, Mr. Ikuse? You wouldn't believe I would do such thing, do you?"

Slash Dog snorted.

"But," Azazel continued. "Her Sacred Gear differs from the rest, hers is a subspecies."

"A Longinus subspecies…" Siegfried's eyes became dishes. "I never thought I would ever hear the words _Longinus_ and _subspecies_ in a sentence."

"The fact that vampires of the Tepes Faction are immune to sunlight just proves my theory." He rubbed his goatee. "Because as far as I know, the Sephiroth Graal wasn't capable of removing weaknesses of other creatures, it just controls the principle of life... " He turned to Danhauser with a wink. "You could even be immune to light-based attacks!"

"I see," Lavinia muttered, tipping her hat. "Just by the fact that this Holy Grail can bring miracles is enough to catch everyone's attention. _Unpleasant_ attention."

"So, what's up?" Azazel rubbed his hands enthusiastically, grinning goofily. "Can I take a look at the Holy Grail?"

Valerie glared. "No."

"Yikes!" Azazel winced. "Did I touched a nerve?"

Danhauser took a step forward. "You need to understand that during her time in the Tepes Castle, they were always using her because of her Sacred Gear." He said. "The only way she'll ever use the Holy Grail is for healing."

"Well said, Mr. Belial." Valerie approved.

"Well, true that Sephiroth Graal has a _lot_ of side-effects, talking with the dead from the other world being one of them..." Azazel frowned. "... but that only happens when you contact with the pinnacle of life _or_ if she tries to revive long-dead creatures... maybe it also happens throughout modifying someone's body?"

"The Tepes were actually doing that," explained Danhauser. "From what I've heard, her older brother, Marius Tepes—"

Valerie's fist clenched slightly.

"—was contacting the principle of life for quite the time now."

"How long?" Inquired the Governor-General. "How long was she being experimented?"

"Months," Valerie said.

"Hmm," The Fallen Angel hummed in thought, rubbing his chin, studying the hybrid. "Oi, Grail Maiden. Answer the next questions... what do you think about love?"

"A wasteful feeling." Valerie shrugged off the question, but her anger showed slightly. "Why the sudden interrogation?"

"What matters more in life then?"

"Adaptability," was her response. "Again. Why the—!"

"How old are you, again?"

The Romanian's eyebrow twitched in frustration. "Sixteen."

Azazel stared right at her eyes. "... Could it be that...?"

"Azazel," Vali spoke. "We should just get to the point of why we're here."

The Fallen Angel groaned. "Come on! There are two Longinus in front of me and I can't take the chance to see them up-close?!" The man whined. "That's unfair!"

Everyone stared deadpanly.

Azazel huffed. "Gee, this generation is boring." He said before smiling slightly. "Yet interesting at the same time." He clapped twice. "Alright then! Back to business! You brats know about the betrayal that happened in the Grigori yesterday?"

"... Yes," Danhauser trailed off, his eyes jumping from Valerie to Azazel constantly.

She noted this and glared. "What are you looking at, Mr. Belial?"

Danhauser never replied back, slowly turning back to Azazel. "Who are the traitors?"

"A Fallen Angel that has great influence over the Hexennacht, control over the Utsusemi Agency and his former, small group of Sacred Gears users, calling themselves _Team Abyss_." He responded, his smile now flat. "He's Cadre-Class, his name is Satanael."

"Satanael…" repeated Danhauser, as far as he remembered, he wasn't mentioned in the Slash/Dog novel, mostly because it lasted one volume since the small sells in Japan. Maybe he's supposed to appear in Volume two?

 _"But in a way… he could be the main antagonist of Slash Dog in general,"_ Danhauser pursed his lips. _"Azazel said Satanael has authority over Augusta and Hanezu Himejima... damn."_

"Team Abyss?" parroted Bova.

"Pushing aside the cringy and edgy name made by Satanael…" the Governor chuckled humorlessly. "They were heroic Sacred Gears users that were part of the school _Nephilim_ under the protection of Grigori, the one who was in charge on the academy was, funnily, Satanael."

"That would explain why they were following him," Danhauser surmised. "Nephilim is a school for Sacred Gear users?"

"Bingo." Azazel nodded. "That's where we take those who have a Sacred Gears, so they have a better grasp of it."

While he was curious about Nephilim, he focused on the matter at hand. "You said something about finishing them off."

Azazel snapped his fingers in realization. "Oh! That's right! Team Abyss are eradicated by us, Grigori. Only Satanael is alive, though."

Everyone sighed in relief, except Bova and Vali who clicked their tongues.

"That's actually great to hear." Danhauser said with a smile. "I own you one."

"Bah!" Azazel waved off his gratitude. "Chill out brat, it's all good..." He folded his arms and looked down, muttering. "... Unless you have pictures of Gabriel's _wonderful_ breasts..."

"What?"

The Governor coughed behind a fist. "Eh? Nothing, nothing. Just thinking about world hunger."

"Wow, so noble." the heir deadpanned.

Lavinia floated closer to Danhauser, whispering. "By Gabriel he meant...?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

"EITHER WAY!" Azazel caught everyone's attention with a clap. "Satanael's betrayal is unknown. That's what we're trying to figure out after we knew where he escaped."

"Where did he escape to?" Siegfried quickly asked.

The former Angel stared for a long time, it was unnerving. "Have any of you heard about the Dimensional Gap?"

Danhauser fought back a gasp. He just nodded, albeit quickly. "I heard about it in school. Maou Beelzebub and his subordinates used a small section of the Dimensional Gap for the Rating Games."

"Not only that. Dimensional Gap is also a location that lies between different worlds—it can be used as means of traveling to another world, like Yggdrasil, the world of the Norse Gods." Continued the Fallen Angel.

"So what you're saying is that Satanael, Utsusemi, and stray magicians are hiding in another dimension?" Tobio said in amazement, getting a nod from Azazel. "What? How?"

Lavinia took a step forward. "With the assistance of the Wizards of Oz." She took a deep breath. "If the information we have available is trustworthy then the Ozites, utilizing authentic barrier magic, constructed an original territory in the Dimensional Gap which straddles the boundaries between the worlds. They called it Land of Oz."

Everyone became quiet, except Bova who snorted at her explanation. Only Vali accepted everything without being perturbed.

"That would explain why Augusta had greater endurance than most humans in this world," muttered Siegfried to himself. "Maybe humans from other worlds have greater physical traits after all..."

"Alright, hold on a second," Danhauser shook his head with a bitter laugh. "Are you telling me that a bunch of humans _built_ a _dimension_?"

"… I know it sounds foolish." Lavinia said quietly. "But we have proofs to back it up."

"Hoh? Then please, indulge us." Valerie demanded. "I don't find any possibility whatsoever for a Magician to ever create a dimension, let alone one of the greatest Magicians in history, Merlin Ambrosius. Unless a High-Class Sacred Gear was involved in this mess."

Lavinia just stared back at Valerie.

"… There's a Sacred Gear involved, isn't there?" The Romanian deadpanned.

"That's one of our first theories," Azazel admitted. "Remember the mess that transpired in Grauzauberer?"

"Where the ace of Grauzauberer betrayed Mephisto," Siegfried's blunt response made the Faustus wince. "Yes, we do remember."

"Well, his name is Georg Faust,"Azazel said, freezing Danhauser. "Descendant of _Johann Georg Faust_ himself, the man who made a pact with Mephisto Pheles."

"And the user of a top-tier Longinus, Dimension Lost," added Lavinia.

"Apparently our group is destinated to meet the twelve Longinus one way or another," Valerie said, annoyed. "Marvelous, really."

"Half of them most likely are going to be our enemies in the future," muttered Danhauser.

Little do they know, it was just a future prediction.

"Heh!" Bova grinned in approval. "Well, those are good news then! More skulls to bash into the ground!"

"How many Longinus have we heard or seen so far?" asked Tobio, curious. "Just asking."

"Uh, six?" Bova hesitantly raised six, scowling. "No, wait! _Seven!_ "

"You were correct, Bova," said Danhauser, amused. "Six in total so far."

"Half of them already, not bad," whistled Azazel. "Back on track, Dimension Lost can create a powerful mist that protects those inside the mist from harm. It can also teleport anything fast."

"So Dimension Lost is the Ultimate Barrier and Space Type Sacred Gear?" Tobio muttered.

"Pretty much," the Fallen Angel scratched inside his ear. "Its Balance Breaker is called _Dimension Create_ … do I need to explain more?"

Danhauser waved him off. "No need to. It does make sense… but to keep up Balance Breaker for too long? There has to be a limit."

"Indeed," Lavinia agreed. "The first theory may be full of holes if you take time to analyze it profoundly. The second one is… stable per say, but still passable."

"Alright then, shoot," said Danhauser.

"The dimension has been there for a long time now, but still protected by unique barrier magic," she snapped her fingers and conjuring a book, lending it to Danhauser who carefully took it.

The Heir frowned when he analyzed the title and the picture. "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," he read aloud, looking up at the girl. "This is…"

The blonde magician firmly tipped her hat. "Appearing within this picture book is the proof behind the reality of this world that they created. The author became aware of this world by chance, and it is certainly the territory they had created in the Dimensional Gap."

"This is confusing." Valerie folded her pale, slender arms. "What about the traitor of Grauzauberer, Mr. Faust?"

"Georg has nothing to do with this theory… just-just bad luck hitting us."

"Chances that the true leader of Wizards of Oz is behind this mess," Azazel continued. "The name's obvious—it has been under our noses for a long time."

"Indeed it has," Lavinia sighed. "The group of mages is called Wizards of _Oz_ , they're known as _Ozites_ , their dimension is known as Land of _Oz_. The leader could be the Great Mage _Oz_ himself."

After breaking from his surprise, Tobio's upper lips twitched. "You have to be damn arrogant to name practically anything after your ass."

Jin barked in agreement!

Tannin's son grunted in denial. "I don't get it, what's the problem?"

"Mr. Ikuse is just irked by the pridefulness of the Wizards of Oz's Headmaster," replied Valerie.

"What's wrong with being prideful?" Bova growled. "It's a blessing!"

"I totally agree." Vali, for the first time, spoke from his spot.

"Prideful people tend to be a little ignorant about what others need," explained Siegfried. "They tend to be in their bubble of extreme awesomeness and superiority. Plus it's the most dangerous sin."

Bova huffed and stomped the floor just like a bull. "So what? It's a sin you should be proud of, dammit!"

"There's a difference between being full of pride and being prideful," Danhauser joined the conversation. "One means you know your worth. The other means you wave it in others' faces as often as you can."

"See?! Even Boss Hauser agreed!" Bova barked a victorious laugh. "I was right this whole time and you weren't, idiots!"

"Spectacular. Now he's full of himself," Valerie dryly said, glancing at Danhauser. "Hope you're satisfied, Mr. Belial."

Danhauser winked at her before turning back to the blonde mage. "Wasn't Augusta the Head of Wizards of Oz before it became known as Hexennacht?" He asked, frowning. "Or she was just taking the role of headmistress to keep hidden the true leader's identity?"

"Probably taking the role of a Mater temporarily," Lavinia replied hesitantly, not trusting her words. "Long ago back when the Magic Association wasn't turned into stray magicians and I was younger, Wizards of Oz had four aces, mostly known as the _Four Cardinal Witches_ by other schools. Augusta was known as the Witch of East and had control over the Wizards of Oz when the other Cardinal Witches disappeared."

"Disappear back to their homeland, I bet." Danhauser presumed which Lavinia nodded in agreement. "If so, then to keep an eye out on Land of Oz, don't see any other reason."

"It could be," agreed the Faustus. "That's what we believe either way. While the three witches left our world to return to theirs, Augusta stayed either for orders of Oz himself or any other reason."

"You seem to know a lot about them," Siegfried said.

Lavinia just tipped her hat, obscuring her face.

"To make it easier to understand," drawled Azazel. "Hexennacht is just a small group led by Augusta that works under Wizards of Oz." He explained briefly. "Now, back on track, the dimension already existed long ago, with the remaining Cardinal Witches and Great Mage Oz watching over their world. Those are our beliefs."

Danhauser hummed and rubbed his chin, glaring at the window as he kept thinking. He finally snapped his fingers. "Is there a chance that she may have done the same thing as Satanael did with Grigori? Betray Oz and leave her hometown with a few followers and start anew here, thus making an alliance with Satanael?"

Tobio frowned. "Then how would you explain Utsusemi and Satanael living in the Land of Oz?"

"No offense to Grigori, but I doubt they followed them to another dimension—this is them just shooting in the dark and hope their shot stayed true." Danhauser pointed out. "Maybe members of Hexennacht, through the usage of magical protection, are sheltered on the Dimensional Gap. Don't mistake me, maybe Oz exists, but unlikely he's part of the problem, Augusta just left Land of Oz with apprentices. That's my opinion."

"… It could be." Azazel massaged his temple, flashing a tired smirk. "Either way, the mysteries of the Wizard of Oz take it with a grain of salt. The only thing confirmed is Satanael's betrayal with stray Magicians and Utsusemi Agency joining them…"

"If Oz was involved in this mess what are we going to do?" Bova questioned, grinning excitedly. "Invade them?"

Vali looked up at that.

The Fallen Angel's eyebrows stretched wildly. "Like hell we'll do that!" He snapped. "They are more than us and chances of us getting our asses kicked are quite high. Vali needed to be on his Balance Breaker and needed your King's help to defeat an _exhausted_ Augusta!"

Bova grunted, disappointed.

"The best course of action is staying alert whenever they attack us," Lavinia suggested. "We'll strike back in case any acts of terrorism come from them."

"Ditto on that, the last thing this world needs is an alien invasion." Azazel stood and stretched. "Moving on! We barely won the battle, but not the war. Even if we took care of Hanezu and Augusta the real deal is still hidden scratching his ass and doing evil stuff!"

"The Utsusemi Agency is still rolling," Tobio reminded them keenly. "And they're still hunting down the remaining Evil Fiends."

Lavinia averted her gaze and tipped her hat.

The black angel walked closer and brushed Tobio's head, smiling bitterly. "We know and we're doing our best to stop them. Since Hanezu was captured alive, we'll see if we can make him spit the truth about the two Fiends' location and save them before Satanael kidnaps them."

Azazel pulled his hand back. "For now, leave the rest to Grigori. We will be strictly monitoring any moves coming from the Agency, Hexennacht, and Satanael to the point that they would feel it would be better to just die. We're also going to hack into the media to stop them from spreading this worldwide by altering their memories and make something up before they find the truth. "

"Understood," Danhauser walked at him and extended a hand. "Thank you for your help, Governor-General."

Azazel blinked at the gesture before breaking into a hearty laugh, brushing Danhauser's gray hair. "See you later, brats!" He turned to Tobio. "Baraqiel says hi."

Leaving such parting words, Azazel left the room.

Slash Dog blinked. "Who?"

Vali pushed himself off the wall and followed. He, looked behind his shoulder. "I never had the chance to fight everyone here, let's do so another day."

He finally left, closing the door.

…

"So that happened," Danhauser mused, glaring whilst combing his ruined hair.

Siegfried hummed. "It was never addressed, but I guess the Five Principal Clans are safe, for now."

"Yes, the Clans are free from harm," Lavinia announced with a powerless smile. "We've sent a mesage to build an alliance with them for quite the time now but knowing their attitude… it may have been immediately declined."

"I don't intend to be rude but," Danhauser trailed off, pointing where Azazel and Vali left. "Are you not accompanying them?"

She softly shook her head. "I have to report back to Pops." She responded firmly, quickly adding. "And I wanted to talk with all of you, especially you."

Danhauser curved an eyebrow.

Lavinia took carefully her hat, hugging it like a favorite toy. "You know, I've been meaning to thank you. From the moment I heard Pops talking about you and your team, I was honestly caught off-guard. I was only expecting to receive assistance from Grigori but hearing that someone from the House of Belial and their Peerage too was… unexpected."

Danhauser looked away. "It wasn't all me, you know? My Peerage helped me on this too."

"And Grauzauberer is grateful for that," she said, tenderly passing a thumb over her hat. "You don't need to stick your neck out for Grauzauberer and Grigori here, but you have."

"I promised Tobio that I would help him," Danhauser pointed out. "Plus we're really not trying to make a stand—we just...keep ending up in these situations."

Lavinia beamed. "I know that. That's what makes it matter." She bowed her head. "Pops had planned to come and thank each one of you. Unfortunately, he couldn't come, but keep in mind that you have Grauzauberer's eternal gratitude."

"Why couldn't your Pater come?" Inquired Siegfried. "Is he in a meeting with other higher magicians?"

That's when her expression completely fell off. "… He's not in a great mood. The case of Georg and the fact that he believes that he almost got us killed because of the latter's betrayal crushed his fragile heart."

"Why would he do that?" Tobio whispered, scowling. "Why would Georg betray your headmaster?"

Lavinia once again adjusted her hat around her head. "He wanted to become the new headmaster, but Pops always told him he wasn't ready." Her face wrinkled angrily. "Long ago he'd invited me to follow him, at first I thought he would leave Grauzauberer and make his own school…"

"But lo and behold," Valerie snorted. "He just wanted to become a Stray Magician or a Terrorist."

"Or both," agreed Lavinia, pushing a few strands of golden hair aside. "He's deeply sorry for this. I hope all of you can forgive him."

 _"I hope he has alcohol,"_ Danhauser merely nodded in understanding. "He's strong, he'll get better."

Lavinia just lamely smiled.

Slash Dog suddenly clapped, catching everyone's attention. The brunet sheepishly grinned. "I know it's not the best moment to say this but…"

"You want to play in the Arcade, right?" Siegfried shook his head. "Seriously. Is this going to become a routine from now on? For each victory on the battlefield, slack off somewhere else?"

"Stop acting tough, Sieg," Tobio shot back. "Admit it, you wanna go too, it's written all over your damn face! I still remember how you enjoyed playing your weird gore games."

The silver-haired scoffed, yet his orbs betrayed his actions. "Well, I _did_ have the quite pleasure playing there. However! Master can only decide whether we go or not."

"Sure, we can go," Danhauser shrugged. "But we should go back to the manor first. I left my wallet there."

"Let's move quickly then!" Tobio hurried them. "The place closes in four hours today!"

"So what?" Valerie quirked an eyebrow. "We have plenty of time. Don't be impatient."

"Well, I promised Sae to win a toy that caught her interest and the only way to get one is through tickets. _A lot_ of tickets."

Danhauser cheekily smiled. "What a thoughtful boyfriend you are."

Tobio glowered. "I'm not her boyfriend, fucks sake!"

"Hmhm. If you are going to lie, at least try to lie _convincingly_ ," Valerie smirked sardonically, much to Tobio's nerves. "Those blushing cheeks of yours tell a different tale, _Mr. Ikuse_."

Danhauser chuckled.

Tobio groaned. "Hey, you two do me a favor, yeah? Kindly go crawl into a bush somewhere and hopefully die? That would be superb, thanks."

"Ehehehehe…" She giggled behind her fingers. "Hm. Heh... How can you be so cold? You are similar to a piece of rock candy."

"You three are really going to tease each other out?" Siegfried pinched his nose. "Again?"

Before Tobio could retort, Danhauser spoke. "We're wasting time, let's be quick before they close the place."

Bova frowned. "I hope I can play this time." He growled. "It was boring as hell be inside a bag while you guys were having fun!"

"I'll make sure you can play, too," Danhauser then faced the perplexed Faustus. "Want to come, Lavinia?"

"H-huh?" The blonde mage broke from her trance. "Thank you, but I don't wish to become a burden…"

"Nah, don't worry," Tobio waved off her excuses. "You're welcome to come, the more the merrier. Plus don't worry about paying—boss will do it."

The Faustus timidly gazed at the gray-haired Devil. "I need to go back and see if—!"

"Mephisto is alright? Most likely the fossil would prefer to be alone in times like this." Danhauser interrupted. "Besides, he would gladly let you have some fun rather than taking care of him."

She bit her lip. "…Are you sure?"

Danhauser spun around. "We'll be going to my brother's manor first to get my wallet and tell my mom I'll be with my Peerage." He explained, beckoning everyone to follow. "While we're at it, I can show you the Belial Territory, if you want, of course."

Lavinia stared for a while before grinning at him. "Alright then, I'm under your care."

* * *

Enjoyments most come to an end, faster than he originally imagined. It was just a blink of his eyes for Danhauser Belial to find himself away from the Arcade to the manor with a pillar of books at his side. Almost falling asleep if it wasn't for the coffee that he had pumping his system.

It was boring. Making exception when it's about the Great War and many important figures of the past, trying to memorize the rules of Arts Goetia wasn't Danhauser's forte. Just like Senjutsu, his eyes would just close in the middle of his studies.

"Now, Young Master, let's see if you were paying close attention. What can you tell me about your role as an Heir?" A french, blue-haired man questioned with a shallow smile.

Danhauser tenderly laid down the book and massaged his aching temple. "The Heir has an important role in the family, being the third important devil in the Clan, right behind the Lady and Lord Belial."

He spared a glance at Gilles de Rais, to see if was enough.

The Queen just kept smiling with eyes closed. It was creepy, especially knowing the background of Bluebeard.

Danhauser sighed. "The role of an Heir depended on when, who, the situation, the position in the order of succession, the territory you'll receive, _etc_ , etc..."

"Like what?"

The Heir rolled his tongue."Well, it depends on the ranking of the Housecarl. For the highest-ranking clan amongst the 72 Pillars... it could be a glamorous and boisterous delight, or filled with political intrigue or even exceptionally sheltered and restrictive."

For Danhauser it was the 'filled with political intrigue' role.

Danhauser opened a different book. "For those lowest-ranking Devil families—among the poor aristocracy. The heirs are involved a lot of physical activity, or fraught with danger, or a staggering amount of stress and hard work. The only thing that the highest and lowest Heirs of their respective Clans have in common is that both of them have to make contracts with humans to benefit the Underworld and along the way, increase their Clan's power and standing in the Underworld."

"Good job," Gilles applauded. "Now... on the next subject..."

In general, few Heirs had an exceptional military of martial training and spent a great deal of their youth learning to manipulate demonic power, control their House Trait, Hand-to-Hand Combat, etc. They also typically learned military strategy since they were expected to be exceptionally great leaders for their Peerage and great Rating Games players and who knows? Become the new Champion.

Unfortunately, if Gilles de Rais speaks the truth, that was eons ago. Rarely the young generation would be seen training to obtain power. He told Danhauser that this is mostly the parent's fault, they had a mindset that strong genes are the only way to obtain strength, that marriages and intercourse will breed powerful offsprings.

Which in a way, it is true, Sirzechs Lucifer and Grayfia Lucifuge are a perfect example when Millicas Gremory became part of the family tree, a strong Devil by DxD canon starts. But they're an exception, after all, both of them are known as the strongest Devil and Strongest Queen across the Underworld.

Unfortunately, there are cases when a Devil doesn't inherit the glamour that his parents were looking for. For example, Sairaorg Bael. While the House of Bael saw his existence as 'defected' his mother, Misla Bael, has a kind, caring and different view of her son, which cost her greatly.

While Gilles points the accusing finger to the parents, Danhauser just goes after the ancient generation. After all, most likely they're the ones who toyed with the minds of many Devils with their single-minded ideals.

"The Elders!" Gilles feigned excitement. "Tell me anything you know about them."

Danhauser fought back a groan as he closed yet another book, pushing it aside and staring expectantly at Gilles. "They're important figures across the Underworld, the ones that fought during the Great War."

It was honestly that. School always made sure you knew about the crops they gave to their descendants, it was like studying in a Catholic school where there was a class that involved solely about Him and His miracles.

"What else can you tell me?"

The Heir narrowed his eyes. He had an idea about the Elders, but they were just assumptions, Gilles has a better grasp of the subject. "I'm all ears."

Gilles gave his trademark, crooked smile. "Well, well, Young Master. Unlike other fields of references, we have been learning about, this subject is a… touchy is the indicated word."

Danhauser suspiciously curved an eyebrow. "… How so?"

The blue-haired Frenchman chuckled dryly. "Normally, whenever you talk about the Elders, you are obligated to give breathtaking praises about their appearances and achievements… speaking about their glaring flaws is a fool's gambit, heh."

"So I'll only going to hear amazing compliments?" Danhauser said, obviously knowing the answer to his question. This was Gilles de Rais, after all.

Gilles snorted indignantly. "I will only share the truth with you. After all, you'll be slowly closing gaps with them as you grow."

Danhauser rolled his neck and nodded. "Alright then, I'm ready."

Gilles studied him for a while before spinning around and facing the wall. "… The Elders are the very first and finest Devils to ever be created by the flesh of Lilith and the assistance of Lucifer himself." He began. "Not necessarily all Elders are from Ars Goetia, there are some in Extra Demons Faction, a perfect example is Rofocale Lucifuge, who left the Extra Demons with his Clan to govern the City of Dis, your father, Lord Matanbuchus, works for him."

"What about Mephisto?" Danhauser asked, bitting his cheek. "He's also another Elder from Extra Demons, right?"

"Oui, oui. Lord Pheles is also considered an Elder, but he was not made by the flesh of Lilith, a similar case goes to your uncle, Malacoda, and the Malebranche Clan, it is a mystery how they were born." He explained. "The most famous Elder we have in the Ars Goetia is the Great King Zekram Bael, a man whose tongue is sharper than Caliburn itself."

"Let's get to the scary part," said Danhauser, now interested in this. "How… how dangerous are they?"

He finally faced Danhauser. "Young Master. These people are the ones who gave each Clan a role on Ars Goetia. They're the ones who created the Four Great Satan in Ars Goetia as their puppets. Their political authority is above even that of the Senators and Lord Bael, as they can distribute news of a Maous resignation—something that can shake the 72 Pillars balance—and then easily tell their people it was falsified, all of which even the Senators or Lord Bael could not disobey."

Danhauser jaw almost touched the table. He shook his head. "It's… it's going to sound stupid, but why? Why give them so much power?"

"Because since they fought in the Great War, they are venerated as gods for fighting beside the Original Maous," Gilles replied. "It also comes from Zekram's influence, when the Four Original Satans died, he basically became the de facto leader of the Devils. Until the Elders decided to choose the actual Maous as figures to do their job."

"Damn," Danhauser massaged his tired eyes. "You told me how strong they are in politics, but in terms of demonic power?"

"Good question," said Gilles, scratching his blue beard. "… Lucifer was infamously known because of his perfectionistic quirk. So, whenever a Devil didn't blow his expectations, he threw it away and continued until his _Ubermensch_ came to life. I would say Ultimate-Class at least." He heaved a breath. "But I doubt they are powerful anymore. As time passed, they stopped honing their powers and slowly began to weaken, preferring to stay in their beds full of gold, stones, and women."

Why lift a finger either way? When there's practically the Four Great Satans handling the rest. Even if they were objections to their system from citizens and those who have eyes open, they would be trashed immediately. Is an 'obey or die' world.

"Is… is that all?" Danhauser hesitantly asked.

The former Marshal of France shook his head. "Non. We are barely getting started with this." He frowned as he tapped the table. "Usually, they simply rely on people's fear of them, but their greatest weapon is that when they get attacked in any way they can summon a Maou to obliterate their attackers."

"But they're just four Maous," Danhauser's eyes widened. "And I doubt there's in total Four Elders in Ars Goetia. Too much for them, don't you think?"

"Which is why we are going to talk how they influence the Rating Games," Gilles began. "To be specific, those who are in the Top Ten."

 _"They're fucking everywhere,"_ Danhauser almost facepalmed. "Just a wild guess. The Elders can summon those who are in the Top Ten to protect them if they're threatened?"

"Something along those lines," Gilles coughed behind a fist. "Not all those who are on the Top Ten have to defend the Elders—those are your brother, your uncle, Tannin and Ruval Phenex."

"… I can get why Ruval and my brother are off the hook," speculated Danhauser. "They're part of Ars Goetia Faction, but Tannin and my uncle?"

"Your uncle was spared because your mother married your father," Gilles scowled. "Tannin is unknown to me, what I have heard is a negotiation between Lord Pheles and Great King Zekram."

"Only those who are not part of the Clans of Ars Goetia are obligated to bodyguard the elders," Danhauser noted which the Queen nodded. "But why...?"

"All thanks to the Old Satan Faction," Gilles glanced cautiously at the window. "That faction is mostly full of Devils coming from the Extra Demon Faction which is why citizens of Ars Goetia categorized Devils outside their walls as terrorists."

He turned back to Danhauser. "Devils from the Extra Demons who involve themselves with the current Devil Government will have to break all ties with their households and vow loyalty to the 72 Pillars and the Elder they are assigned to protect."

Danhauser pursed his lips. Even so, most Devils are well known to speak about promises while crossing their fingers behind their backs, normally they don't care about oaths and making blood pacts, only power and fame. Not implying those on the Top Ten are treacherous, but still few of them are corrupted, a notorious example is the abuse of the banned King Piece.

There have to be other ways for those on the Extra Demons to make a living on Ars Goetia, after all, Sairaorg Bael's future Queen shares kindred with the third-ranked in Rating Games. But possibly a process that may take _years_ to be approved by the government. The faster method was getting under the wings of an elder but demands perfection.

"So they only have to care for a single Elder. Unlike the Satans who have to protect all of them…" Danhauser muttered, massaging his sore temple. "This… this is fucked up, sorry for the word."

"Do not worry," he giggled emptily. "Perfect examples are Bedeze Abaddon, Roygun Belphegor, and that buffoon, Rudiger Rosenkreutz. While in here they are known as heroes, the Extra Demons see them as 'Elders lapdogs.'"

 _"Rudiger, a name I haven't heard for a long time now,"_ Danhauser winced when the memories struck him. He shook his head. _"Bedeze and Roygun… two Devils who have the King Piece… could it be that the Elder they're meant to protect gave them one? Just for the Elder to become famous for recruiting 'strong' Devils?"_

Maybe they're behind the corruption of the Rating Games, something that Diehauser Belial isn't aware of.

"In conclusion," Gilles said loud enough for Danhauser to pull back into the conversation. "If you, by any means, caught sight of an elder on the Capital Lilith or any other place. Run. Not even your brother, mother or I can do anything to stop those bastards. Understood?"

 _"A brief summary would be that Zekram isn't a member of the Bael Clan._ He is _the Bael Clan."_ Danhauser scowled but answered. "Yeah, crystal."

Suddenly, the butler broke into a smile. "Marvelous. We are done here." He announced, signaling Danhauser to stand up. "Before I forget, your brother told me to warn you a few things, next week you'll be visiting the Phenexes _and_ you'll be participating in your first Rating Game, your contender is, amusingly, someone from the Phenex Clan."

Danhauser missed a beat. "... Oh."

"This is a tradition," stated Gilles. "Whenever someone finished school, they give the students time to recruit Peerage members before putting them on a Rating Game match, just to see how strong are they."

The gray-haired slowly nodded. "I...I suppose there's going to be an audience."

"Oui, oui! Of course!" Gilles replied. "This is the next generation that'll soon become adults, Young Master. Those that are amongst the Top Ten are going to watch from a VIP room."

 _"Fuck me,"_ Danhauser gulped his curse as his heart thrumming increased. _"That means Uncle and Diehauser are going to be there, too... what if I lose in front of them... NO! I can't lose! I won't lose! I WILL win this Rating Game, all of them!"_

 _..._

He carefully stared down at his tensed hands. _"But then why am I acting like this? I have fought against the Utsusemi and Hexennacht multiple times, where I could've died in the hands of the enemy... but when Gilles mentioned the Rating Games I felt different... I'm-I'm not scared, aren't I?"  
_

Of course not.

"Is something troubling you, Young Master?" Gilles hastily moved at his side, a hand on his shoulder.

"Huh?" The Heir broke from his trance, quickly forcing a weak grin. "Of course I'm alright, why wouldn't I?"

Diehauser's Queen face turned concerned. "... You fell in complete silence all of sudden."

"Ah," Danhauser pursed his lips, averting his gaze. "I... I'm just tired... maybe- _maybe_ I should sleep already. Don't you think?"

...

"If... you wish so." Gilles gave an unusual smile, walking away. "Then it's time for you to get some sleep, Young Master, a beautiful morning awaits you, heh."

Danhauser watched Gilles retreating with a distant look.

After seeing he was alone. He released a shaky sigh. "Yeah, _right_ ," he muttered dryly, pulling himself off the chair. "A _beautiful_ morning awaits me…"

* * *

"So, here I am again," Danhauser Belial tried to find a comfortable position on the floor. He looked up at the owner of the bed. "Those spirits in the Holy Grail sure can get annoying now and again, yeah?"

The light, blonde-haired girl peeked from her pillow—those dark red eyes could shine even in an abyss. "Indeed they are, normally they demand freedom, but doing so, they'll cause double the trouble."

"Hmm," Danhauser looked away from her gaze. "Hey, Valerie?"

"What is it?"

"How lonely was your life in the dungeon?"

Valerie Tepes tilted her head. "Whenever I lacked companionship or attempted to push aside boredom, I just played with the centipedes living in my dungeon and watched the spiders catch their prey, they were there if I urgently needed to socialize with someone."

"What a fascinating way to kill off boredom," he paid a compliment. "I always wanted centipedes and spiders running across my body."

"Great minds think alike it seems," She satirically smiled. "It's a breath fresh of air to see that you're so broad-minded about other people's hobbies, Mr. Belial."

"I aim to please."

"Ehehehe…" She giggled. "Do not believe I've been locked on a dungeon my whole childhood. There were infrequent occasions when father would take me out to see… a foreign world. It was a scary sight."

"Well, that's a surprise," Danhauser said after a brief silence. "For a second I thought you'd spent your whole life locked in a dungeon."

"Father was generous," she said, adding. "Only when things went smoothly across the Tepes Faction. I, of course, had to ruin it."

"Do I smell story time?"

She paused to inspect her nails. "...When I was allowed to wander around the castle, I'd made sure to behave in front of nobles, even if they were disgusted by me and wished for my impalement. I was ordered to keep some distance from them. As time twirled, I caught sight of these beautiful, young damsels from afar." She recalled. "My eyes lingered to a gorgeous garment..."

"You took it?" Danhauser theorized.

"Without hesitation," she confirmed. "Making sure no one had detected me yet, I stole it and ran away with the dress between my tiny arms. I had the biggest, _delighted_ grin on my face as I tried to wear it. It was too big for me, but it made me happy. Because of my mixed blood, I never received gifts, even if it was my birthday." Her eyes traveled over the plush toy, whispering. "... But I got one now, apparently."

"We're reaching the part where everything goes bad?" Danhauser massaged his temple. "After all, you were not really welcomed in the castle, even less by the Tepes Faction in general."

"Unfortunately," Valerie sighed. "After being notified of a missing dress and identifying the wrongdoer, father had the reddest face that even crimson color paled in comparison. I was in my youth and had not yet matured enough to understand the outrageous behavior I'd committed—I had disgraced him in front of other vampires for the sake of a pretty piece of fiber." She looked away. "To discipline me, father yanked the dress from my grasp and shred it apart in front of me... I was saddened that time."

"I know how vampires and devils are in general, but he shouldn't have done that," Danhauser laid deeper on the wall. "You were just an innocent, curious child."

"And a brainless one," added the Romanian. "I'm thankful for father crumbling my useless fantasies. A hint for you, Mr. Belial, happiness, and love are short-lived and have no vital meaning in life. Adaptability has a meaning. Without father's strict teachings, I would probably be impaled to dead."

Danhauser narrowed his eyes. "That point of view changed you _a lot_ , huh?"

Valerie proudly smirked. "Absolutely." She said.

The Heir stared at her dark, red orbs. "Let me know something. Don't you find yourself looking back, wondering what might that beautiful little girl become with the elegant, long dress?" Danhauser asked.

"Werewolf food, obviously." Valerie easily responded, sinking her head into the pillow. "Such thoughts have no function amongst the face of reality. They're just a burden, that's it."

A pregnant silence settled between them after the Dhampir concluded her thoughts and past. It was honestly a surprise for Danhauser, given how she's defensive whenever they asked her questions.

Danhauser scratched his neck while steadily stealing side glances at the girl on the bed, her eyes locked on the ceiling, definitely in her inner world or thinking about the sins and virtues of the past.

That's when a thought jabbed his mind. "By the way, Valerie?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks, again."

She blinked and stayed quiet, leering. "… Why for this time?"

Danhauser passed his digits over his covered stomach. "If it wasn't for you, I would be sleeping with the fishes." He chuckled sourly. "Now there are two favors I owe you. You have something in your mind, by the way? If so, let's hear it."

"…" Her eyes were still on the ceiling. She took a decent time to think before shaking her head. "I'm afraid not."

"… I think there's something that I could help you with."

"I doubt it," she insisted.

"You want to find someone, that 'someone' is obviously your friend, isn't it?" Danhauser said and her eyebrow twitched. "The one who was also in a dungeon with you, remember?"

She snorted in disbelief, knowing well where this is going. "What? You're going to find him?"

"Yes," his answer was blunt, but he didn't care.

She, however, wasn't dancing at his words, she sat straight on the bed and glared. "How can I trust you won't do any harm to him?"

"I won't," Danhauser shot back.

"Is that supposed to be an assuring answer?" Valerie scoffed crankily.

"As the heir of the Belial Clan, I promised you I won't cause any harm to him," Danhauser vowed. "Besides, we've been cooperating together for a good time now. You still don't trust me?"

Valerie's mouth opened and closed, letting her eyes roam the room before gazing back at him. She'd have to speak, she knew she would, but at least this way her mind had a few moments longer to prepare an answer.

Finally, she left her inner thoughts. "What makes you think with your help we'll find him?"

"We've already found _six_ Longinus Users," Danhauser countered. "This world is small—the chances of locating him are higher than you think."

…

Valerie folded her arms, looking away from his intense gray eyes, just to end up facing the plush toy beside her pillow.

"If you think I'll turn him into my servant, then don't worry." She listened to Danhauser's, soothing voice. "I won't lay a finger on him."

After two or three minutes, she rolled her eyes and contained a groan, casting an annoyed glance at the Devil. "Gasper." She quietly grunted, dropping to her bed and turning away from him. "Gasper Vladi. Now leave me alone."

She could feel Danhauser's assuring and teasing smile. "See? Was that really difficult?"

"…"

Fun fact, as it turns out, you can't drink away the silence.

* * *

Slowly, he started to wake up.

Opening his red eyes to a dark room. He tried to move, but chains rattled and he stopped at once. He realized that he was lying face-down on his bare stomach, breathing in the rancid residue that coated the floor—it smelled like death. A steady dripping noise was coming from his left.

He was imprisoned. And he had no idea how long it would be before he was released.

Underneath that was the sound of distant footsteps and an inhuman snarl. The footfalls became steadily louder—he scrambled to stand, straining against the blackness to see what or who was coming. Even if he knew, he wanted to see a face, not the stained floor.

Even if that man was the culprit of all his suffering.

A sudden weight speeded over his back, enough to spark a sharp pain across his spine. He contained his screams as the shoe sunk deeper into his flesh.

"Good morning." The figure greeted fervently, shifting his feet over the prisoner's back, much to the latter's dismay. "I hope you had a pleasant rest?"

The chained slave lost the strength of speech, fist clenched as he fought the urge to wail out his agony.

"Hmm…?" the man hummed, but it was more amusement than curiosity. "Are you perhaps dead? Should I just dispose of your body?" He took a pause. "What do you think?"

He thought the question was aimed at him, but another savage voice proved him wrong. "Food shouldn't be wasted-wasted!" The creature gurgled. "Just leave and I'll handle the rest! GUHEHEHE!"

"… I-I'm…"

"Hoh?" The collective one feigned surprise. "We were proven wrong. He's still alive, what a blessing, really."

The abomination whined like a pig, disappointed.

"…Please," the prisoner croaked, throat dry. "No more... please."

He felt the shoe leave his back, but a strong grip wrapped itself around his fragile neck. The man was wearing latex gloves. "… This is your fault, you understand, don't you?"

"…"

"You had a simple job, make sure the girl was in safe hands and continue the research." He continued, slowly tightening his grip. "We'd suggested you extract her Sacred Gear, but you did not. I admired that response—it showed how confident you were in protecting the Holy Grail."

"…"

"Yet, you failed miserably." His tone lost all signs of calmness. "You don't understand how embarrassed I felt when I had to give the news to my Master, just because of your imbecility. I couldn't even look at him in the eye as I gave the report."

…

…

…

"I—!"

The prisoner felt coldness envelop him, but no darkness came. His torturer broke the cuffs and then wrapped his strong hands around his throat and squeezed. He raised him off the ground. The slave kicked and squirmed, but it was no use.

Just as his vision went blurry, he caught sight of the red eyes staring straight at him, his single, silvery braid almost sniffing the floor. The thing beside his strangler was worse—it had the shape of a snake, a white eye meanwhile the other one was purple, eerily drooling fluids leaving from its huge, sharpened jaw.

It was a disgusting sight.

Suddenly, all eyes went over the silver-haired's pocket, a phone chimed in, alerting him to a received call. He harshly dropped the slave to the ground gasping for air as he pulled out his latex gloves.

"Hello?" Euclid answered the phone, a plastic smile drawn on his face.

 **[… You have guts to call me.]** The speaker was on for everyone to hear. **[Especially when I'm in the midst of my job.]**

"Ah! Lord Nebiros!" The man gasped in surprise, obviously pretending to be. "I was getting anxious! For a second I thought you were murdered in the City of Dis since I never received a single call or message from you over the past few months!"

 **[You know I can't answer when I'm in Dis, Regent-Lord Lucifuge would trace the call.]** He countered. **[Right now I'm outside of the city, safe from that bastard's ears. Give me a reason why I shouldn't just tell him you're still alive and get the bounty, Euclid?]**

"Now, now..." Euclid Lucifuge's smile remained tranquil, unfazed by the empty threats. "You don't like me. You have no reason to like me. But you don't have to like me to get the results you want, Lord Nebiros."

A tensed silence established over the dark room. Only the hisses of pain coming from the prisoner bounced in the walls.

 **[… I'm listening.]**

"I know you have agents spying the Lucifuge District," Euclid remarked. "Spying each move of that bastard."

A laugh erupted from the phone. **[My, my. So what if I do? Are you going to make an anonymous call to Rofocale Lucifuge?]**

"Not at all," the last thing Euclid ever wanted is to speak with a treacherous dog. "I need information of the past few months."

 **[What for?]** Lord Nebiros demanded. **[What will you give me in exchange?]**

Euclid chuckled. "Avaricious as always, Lord Nebiros." He teased, pulling a potion from his pants. He lazily tossed it at the prisoner who instinctively caught it.

The slave shook it before looking up at the silver-haired Devil suspiciously. "W-what is this?"

"Phoenix Tears," he simply responded. "It'll heal all your wounds. Drink it, Marius."

Marius Tepes immediately drank it all, ignoring the horrible taste and focusing the potion doing its effects. Even if it was rat poison, he would gladly chew it, given the circumstances he's facing.

"What!?" The beast growled out at Euclid. "Meal's going to-to live?! Why?!"

"We need him," Euclid replied, if there was an annoyance in his voice, he certainly hid it well behind the polite smile. "Don't worry—we still have a few Stray Devils for you to feast, Nidhoggr."

The Evil Dragon just snarled, unsatisfied, glancing hungrily at the Vampire. "You're lucky."

Marius gulped.

Euclid returned to the phone. "What I can offer you in exchange is an alliance, Lord Nebiros."

Another laugh came from the phone. **[An alliance?! Don't make me laugh, you dumb brat! Working with you is a fool's gambit!]**

"Even if our Master is the one leading this organization?"

…

 **[Prove it.]**

Euclid sighed and sent an apologetic smile at Nidhoggr and Marius. "Gentlemen," he briefly said before walking past them, sliding the door open.

The Vampire hissed when light reached his eyes, almost leaving him blind, months secluded and chained away from the exterior has weakened his irises.

Thankfully, Sephiroth Graal gave him immunity over sunlight.

Euclid stepped outside of the room, standing in the clean corridor, he raised the phone. "Your Majesty, can you please speak?"

Nebiros was about to call him out, but someone was faster. "HOLY SHIT, EUCLID!" A new voice enthusiastically shouted from another room. "HAVE YOU SEEN A CERBERUS' DICK?! THEY HAVE _THREE!_ THAT'S. _FUCKED. UP!_ UHYAHYAHYA~!"

Euclid brought down the phone and walked back inside. "Content?"

 **[… He's alive.]** Lord Nebiros dozens of emotions coursing through his veins. **[He's… HE'S ALIVE! THE TRUE KING OF THE UNDERWORLD IS ALIVE!]**

Euclid chuckled, satisfied. "I suppose Master can count on you?"

 **[Of course, he can!]** He confirmed after calming down. **[You wanted information of the Lucifuge District? I can even give you confidential Intel of Ars Goetia!]**

"Excellent," Euclid felt relief wash over him. "I'm afraid this type of conversations needs to be addressed face-to-face. However, all I need is to know is one thing."

 **[What?]**

"The negotiation between the Tepes Faction and Lucifuge District," He strongly said. "Is the Holy Grail in the hands of Regent-Lord Lucifuge?"

 **[…So the Sephiroth Graal has been revealed?]** Euclid could literally picture Nebiros' widened eyes. **[And it was in the hands of the Male Vampire Faction this whole time? Interesting…]**

"Please, concentrate."

 **[No it isn't.]** Lord Nebiros immediately answered. **[From what I've heard from my spies, Malacoda Malebranche made an appearance in the Lucifuge District with a foreign girl resembling a doll, light-blonde hair and red eyes.]**

"I-It's her!" Marius ran and grabbed Euclid's arm, screaming tantrums on the phone. "The Holy Grail! It's her! My sister has it! WHERE IS SHE?!"

"Don't touch me you filthy swine!" Euclid snapped, slapping the Vampire away. "Maybe Vampire _is_ on the menu, after all!"

Nidhoggr managed a shark-like grin. "Yes-yes!"

"N-no!" Marius shot back, stuttering.

Euclid glowered. "Then don't you dare to dirty my clothes with those filthy hands! You miserable piece of shit!" He took a soothing breath and blew it away, feeling the fury in his chest waiting to take over.

After a while, he regained his composure whilst forcing a smile. "So, the _Spear of Malebolge_ left to Ars Goetia? What for?"

 **[… 72 Pillars.]** Lord Nebiros slowly replied. **[Malacoda left Dis with the girl and returned without her.]**

"Interesting..." The silver-haired Devil scowled and played with his long-braid. "… Does Malacoda also have contacts over there?"

 **[His sister, Calcabrina Belial, lives there.]** A weary sigh left his throat. **[The chances of the Holy Grail** **being** **kept hidden in the Belial Territory are high.]**

"The House of Belial…" Euclid bit his cheek. Bad news indeed. "… I'll message you our location and we'll continue our conversation."

 **[We'll be in contact.]** He ended the call.

Euclid red eyes glued to the screen of his phone before looking up at the sound of anxious steps. "Ah, Marius, I can see the Phoenix Tears worked wonderfully with you. You look magnificent!"

The Vampire gritted his teeth. There was no way he could escape from this hell, if he did, they'll just throw him back to his cell or use him as Nidhoggr's next chewing toy. He didn't even have the courage to commit suicide.

And these people are not the type of giving a peaceful death. Mostly when Euclid needs Marius' help when it's about Sacred Gears.

In fact, the chances of constantly getting tortured physically and mentally just to turn him into a loyal machine is sky-scraping.

"Well then," he came back to the real world, thanks to Euclid and his 'warm' smile. "Shall we commence, Marius?"

The blond vampire stuck with a shaky nod. "Y-yes."

"Then let's get back to work," the silver-haired sensed Marius' uneasiness, but he wasn't a man who rubbed comfort to people's back, a wasteful gesture.

Grayfia's young brother spun around and walked away, followed by the Vampire and Evil Dragon.

"What are we going to do-do?" Nidhoggr's head tilted, almost invading Euclid's personal space.

"Because of Marius foolishness, we're back to the square one," the cold response made Marius wince. "… Lord Nebiros thinks that Sephiroth Graal is in the Clan Belial… the House that birthed the actual Champion of the Rating Games."

"Are we going to retrieve her?" Marius felt a chill ran up on his spine when Euclid's powerful gaze hovered him.

"And show ourselves to the world?" The Devil bitterly chuckled. "We've been in the dark for too long, we're still trying to remain unnoticed by the world, if they know about Master's status, the Underworld would shake, but… we will take her right where she belongs, without showing our identities."

"Recruiting people wouldn't be a bad idea, just like you did with that guy," Marius timidly muttered. "J-just saying, though."

"You're not wrong, Marius," Euclid said with an uneasy frown.

"What-what about those Stray Magicians?" Nidhoggr belched.

"The Wizards of Oz?" Euclid said, getting a snort from the Evil Dragon. "I've sent someone from Nilrem to find their hiding spot. It shouldn't take so much."

"So you're already five steps ahead," the vampire muttered.

Euclid ignored him, sighing deeply. "I never thought this day would come, but it's time for _Qlippoth_ to take harsher methods."

Thus begins, in the midst of conflict spread across the world between the Grigori who watches the Sacred Gears possessors, the _Five Principal Clans_ and the _Ouryuu_ who obey the _Four Divine Beasts_ , the _Exorcist_ of _Kuoh Town_ , the Cadre-Class Fallen Angel _Satanael_ who has great influence over the _Utsusemi_ the _Wizards of Oz_ , and _Hexennacht_.

And finally, the representation of impure spiritual forces, _Qlippoth_ , led by the son of the Lightbringer and Adam's ex-wife. An organization whose been scheming in the dark before the Utsusemi was even born. Lady Luck wasn't in their favor this time—their main ingredient has been captured and sent somewhere else, backfiring their whole plans.

For now.

For too many years, Qlippoth was on the back foot. Fleeing from threats, rather than stomping them. The government was bigger than them. _Stronger_ than them. They were mice, scurrying in the shadows, hoping the giants would not see them.

Not anymore.

Qlippoth is no longer fleeing. They are the giants now.

And there's nothing that can stop them.

* * *

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **reader: Last days of school, final exams, had to keep company for my granny because she had a surgery, and so on. All in all, life kicking me in the face, sorry. About the Peerage, there's going to be girls on his peerage, you'll just have to wait, but don't worry, waifus are going to appear. Take care.  
**

 **King Gilgamesh: Holy shit. You're salty asf. The chances of you reading this are low, since I bet you left. But I don't care, I'll answer your review nonetheless to answer other people who agrees with you. **

**To keep it brief, there's nothing wrong making OP characters. what's wrong is that you think that Danhauser is going to defeat ALONE a HEADMISTRESS who has been training since she was a damn brat in terms of magic. Dan has been training only months, Augusta years.  
**

 **If he was fighting Vali or Sairaorg. the chances of winning are higher. Because he knows them from watching the LN, their fighting style and abilities. Augusta was a different case, she only made a brief cameo and showed little of her magic skills, but enough to defeat Lavinia and force Vali use Balance Breaker in Slash/Dog.**

 **The fact that he could fight evenly, albeit for a while, and force Augusta to use her strongest spell to put Dan down, speaks how much progress Danhauser has made thus far. That alone should prove you how strong Danhauser is going to be when DxD! Canon starts.**

 **"He knows about sairog then why doesn't he train like him cover all bases."**

 **Right. Sairaorg Bael, who has a** **friend R-I-V-A-L-R-Y relationship** ** **with Danhauser is going to tell him his secrets on how to get strong so he can defeat him next time they fight. That's dumb. You can't even compare those two, Sairaorg is training his body, Touki and his Longinus. Danhauser is training his demonic powers, his two Clan Traits, his body, how to use a spear, and later on he'll train how to use Senjutsu, Touki and True Form. This is without counting their important roles as Heirs of their Clan.  
****

 ** **I mean, if you're going to give criticism, at least do it wisely. Dissapointed really.****

 ** **Guest:**** ** **Good job knowing who was the cunt. Ravel is unlikely to be a Queen, you'll find out later on. Plus, I think I know who's going to be the Queen, but I appreciate your suggestion. Take care.  
****

* * *

 **Next Chapter: The Road to Emperor  
**


	21. The Road to Emperor

**Chapter 21: The Road to Emperor**

* * *

His legs had led him to a quiet spot away from the manor as he sat down on the grass, cross-legged, mimicking to the best of his ability those professionals that he'd read about or seen in television, you know, the usual sit on a rock with a waterfall behind.

His eyes were closed as he had been meditating for half-an-hour, centering his body and mind with the vegetation surrounding him. Afterward, he went through stretches and exercises to help keep his body fit and healthy.

And finally, he meditated once more, back to back with a tree while building a bridge with life, both knuckles pushed together.

He believes he's a strong child, and members of the Belial Clan have proven expertise in hand-to-hand combat to weapon mastery. Most of his strength doesn't only come because of his physical capabilities as a Devil, but his days of training either physical combat or magical traits.

Yet, whenever he tried to unlock Senjutsu, he grows discouraged and impatient, which makes it impossible to concentrate during his silent sessions.

The fact that whenever he accidentally goes back to recall his previous fights against Stray Magicians also doesn't make it far easier to concentrate. Plus, what Gilles de Rais had told him about the upcoming Rating Games.

All of these make a horrible environment to use ki safely.

Danhauser Belial stopped with a frustrated groan. "Like always, nothing." He almost yanked his gray hair out. "What am I doing wrong?!"

Whenever he had free time, he made sure to read the book that Sae Toujou had translated for him, trying to see any hint of it or at least the mistakes he's committing. He only found out that Sage Arts is dormant in anyone who has a soul or a spirit, but it's rare for most people to ever awaken that ability. Meditation is the easiest way to awaken it. Surprisingly enough, extreme shock is also another way to obtain it, but it's a weird case without deep explanation.

Fewer people were already born with the ability awakened, with no known training. Something that made Danhauser displeased, although he was mostly jealous.

"Damn it!" He spat and punched the dirt just to tame his boiling anger.

He slowly stood up whilst dusting his pants, the scowl on his face never fading as he glared at the grass underneath him.

…

For the third time, he sat leg-crossed on the grass and began meditating.

With eyes closed, he concentrated on his state of mind, picturing an early summer breeze, the shy waves of an ocean, and the perfume of nature.

They weren't upbeat thoughts, but they soothed him just the same.

His chest rose and fell with the sedative qualities of a lullaby for minutes and suddenly, an unknown force began to mingle with him. It wasn't demonic power, this power was calmer than the demonic aura.

"…" He remained still, not wishing to disrupt the new energy making a connection. Because of his closed eyes, everything was dyed in darkness, but the color of dark-blue appeared and meshed with black, turning into a spiral that twirled until Danhauser felt almost dizziness.

It stopped, and a new world unfurled before him.

"…" He roamed around with his eyes still clenched, he saw multiple trees as gray with bluish-white veins in a black background.

Danhauser gawked at the sight, looking below to spot his hands, they were also covered by few dark-blue veins, his life. What shocked him more was that he could see _behind_ him too, without _spinning_ his head. It was like having a three hundred and sixty telescopic x-ray vision.

He could see the forest.

He could see the pathway system of _life_.

"…I did it," The smile he showed on the outside can't adequately reflect what he felt inside. "I can use Senjutsu!" He rosed a hand, concentrating his life force over it.

His expected results was a ghostly, bluish-white will-o-wisp floating on his palm.

It playfully spun around his fingers before cloaking his hand with its energy, making him hiss slightly. It burned a little but soon the ache will soon fade away. His body did also tweak slightly, he felt strengthened

He would jump for joy if it wasn't for the enhanced senses heeding three figures approaching.

The smirk grew on his face like a lazy teacher's check mark when he spotted them. While the size and body structure remained intact, they had those weird, bright veins around their bodies.

Plus the faint, red glow coming from their abdomens, the Evil Pieces that Danhauser used on them.

"Hey there," he waved at his Peerage when they finally stopped. "How are you guys doing?"

"... Master," Siegfried greeted slowly and concerning. "… Is something wrong with your eyes, Master?"

"Nothing wrong Siegfried, don't worry," Danhauser patted his shoulder. "I'm just using Sage Arts."

"Wait," blinked Tobio Ikuse. "Sage Arts? The thing you told us back then?"

"Exactly."

"So what now?" Bova Tannin folded his arms. "You can see with your eyes closed?"

"Yes."

Bova stared for a long time before shrugging and walking away, back turned to everyone.

"Hey," Tobio called out, frowning. "Where are you going?"

The Dragon never responded, he just stopped and suddenly shouted "Think fast!" and flicked his tail, flinging a pebble at Danhauser. The Devil successfully deflected the pebble. "Heh! Not bad! Next time try to catch it, it'd look cooler." He said, pleased.

"No promises," said Danhauser, finally opening his gray eyes while massaging his aching forehead. "Damn, it hurts just using it…"

"Of course it does," Siegfried sighed. "This is your first time using it and you were almost overextending it. Give it some time until you can finally use it properly like your demonic powers."

"So that's all you can do, right?" Tobio curiously asked. "Only see with your eyes closed? Because that doesn't sound so… amazing to say. No offense."

"None taken. Anyways, what I can do is see you guys further away," Danhauser explained. "Maybe I can see behind structures too and detect someone's ki to make sure if there's someone spying on us. Oh! I can see behind without turning my head."

"Whoa, really?" Tobio's eyes stretched slightly.

"Yeah," The Heir nodded. "I don't know how to explain it... it's like having _mystical_ eyes behind your neck."

"Ah, that sounds interesting," commented Siegfried. "Especially on the situation, we've dug ourselves in."

"Yeah," Slash Dog rubbed his neck and wheezed softly. "Back then, the Stray Magicians had ambushed us, maybe with your Senjutsu we'll be ready for any sneak attacks now."

"I'll do my best, just don't expect too much from me," Danhauser warned them before frowning. "Where's Valerie, by the way?"

Bova jerked a thumb behind his shoulder. "She stayed behind, the Exorcist offered company, but she denied it."

Siegfried grounded his teeth. "I'm not an Exorcist."

Danhauser shrugged. "Maybe she needed to use the bathroom."

Tobio grunted. "I'll beat the bush and not waste this chance, I'm not the only one who thinks she's creepy as hell, right?"

Danhauser narrowed his eyes. "Oh come on, she's _not_ a creepy person, just misunderstood."

"I'm sorry, are we still talking about Valerie?" Tobio scoffed lightly. "Don't take it wrong, I don't hate her at all. I just find her sense of humor... batshit crazy."

Bova chuckled and brought the air quotes. "Heh! _'Bat_ shit.' Get it?"

The three stayed quiet.

The poor Dragon blushed and looked away. "Y-you guys suck!"

Danhauser gave him an apologic smile. "By the way. What are you guys doing in here, want to train or something?"

"Your brother sent us here," responded Siegfried. "He told us to pick you up. It appears you're leaving the Belial Territory."

"Really now?" Danhauser drawled, walking in search of Valerie. The party followed suit. "Any ideas why?"

"From what I've heard, you and your family will be visiting another Clan."

He just blinked, twice. He couldn't believe he'd forgotten about it.

* * *

Danhauser Belial folded his arms and glanced down at his shoes as the carriage's movements shook slightly. It was a pity that the train couldn't just leave them in front of their destination. "How long before we get in there?" He asked after yawning.

Diehauser Belial looked away from the window and smiled teasingly at him. "Why? Excited to see her?"

Danhauser shuffled in his seat and glared. "Shut up."

"Is that a yes?"

The Heir tried to land a kick on the Emperor, but his brother parried it easily.

"Stop it you two," their mother intervened, smiling at the banter. "We'll be reaching our final stop in the next few minutes, don't worry sweetie."

Her youngest son sighed and closed his eyes, back then, months ago, Calcabrina Belial would've thought he'd be taking a nap, but he was just practicing. Before they left the Belial Territory, Danhauser immediately brought them the news about his new technique: Senjutsu. It caught her by surprise, an emotion shared by the Emperor. It was a rare sight for her, seeing someone practicing Sage Arts, even if Danhauser warned them beforehand. It'll be useful for him, especially when he's fighting terrorists with his Peerage.

She pursed her lips and glanced at the window, finding an excuse to distract herself. Just the thought of Danhauser risking his life made her feel stomach twist. Even if she was training him on how to wield the spear and master resin, she just couldn't stop thinking about her son's fate. No one knew about Danhauser's adventures in the Ars Goetia with the exception of The Four Great Satans, her Clan, Lord and Great King Bael and Mephisto Pheles.

Call it motherly instincts.

"I'm honestly surprised that the Phenex Clan invited us," Danhauser muttered as he opened his eyes, catching her mother's attention.

"Ruval insisted that we eat and talk in their castle, plus from what he's told me, her little sister speaks highly of you," Diehauser stated, shrugging. "That caught them off-guard and they wanted to see you in person."

Danhauser had other thoughts in mind which involves Ravel Phenex and himself… something akin to that of Rias Gremory and Raiser Phenex.

"Don't worry sweetie, this is also my first time visiting another land… expect this to be a thing from now on," Calcabrina advised her son. "As the Heir of Belial, it's your duty to assist in these types of meetings whenever someone is kind enough to invite us."

"Or the other way around," added Diehauser, clapping to catch his brother's gaze. "Either way, had Gilles told you that you'll be participating in the looming Rating Game?"

Calcabrina scowled and looked away, uninterested.

Danhauser, on the other hand, grimaced at the reminder. "Ah… yes."

The Heir looked tense, and Diehauser took action, moving a comforting hand over his brother's shoulder, squeezing it. "Relax. It's just like physical training to keep this generation ready for future matches and give themselves a name in the Underworld."

Danhauser grimaced at the last part. "That doesn't sound really assuring…"

The Emperor pulled out his hand. "If it makes you feel any better, I've passed through the same thing." He laid deeper on his seat. "It'll be on the same game field. Two separates rooms for each King, a corridor that goes to the right and another one to the left, and lastly, a battleground in the middle."

Danhauser frowned. "That… that sounds relatively small."

"That's the whole point. Those who work under Maou Beelzebub don't want the fights to last longer since a lot of children of your and other schools are graduating at the same time. It'll take days when the juvenile Rating Games are over." He explained. "It's optional to participate, but most of the cases they're filled because a few of the Top Ten are going to be there, they want to gain their approval, I suppose."

"Aren't Rating Games mostly about building strategies to counter your opponent?"

"Of course," Diehauser nodded in agreement. "But the participants are children who are going to fight in their first Rating Game match, hence they're utilizing a variant mode of the Rating Games called _Lightning Fast Game_."

Danhauser hummed in understanding. "I heard about it during school." He stated. "It uses the shortest time limit and narrowest playing field. In a nutshell, it is a quick match. Whoever defeats the King wins the match."

"If the time reached its limit and none of the Kings are defeated, then its decided by the number of points accumulated by the number of pieces each Peerage has claimed from the other," finished Diehauser.

Danhauser released a weak sigh. "Now everything makes sense."

Even so, people are going to watch him and judge him from afar, that brought a chill across his spine.

"Remember, depending on your performance on the Rating Games it'll reflect your first social standing in the Underworld, mostly the Ars Goetia."

Danhauser's fingers pressed into the skin of his forearms, slowly nodding. "I understand."

Calcabrina, whose eyes were still glued on the glass, noticed the large castle, it was bigger than their manor.

She nodded at her children. "We've arrived."

Trustworthy in her words, their ride halted in front of the castle and the driver quickly left his spot to open the door for them. Calcabrina was the first one to take off, using a hand to block the sunlight from blinding her.

Danhauser felt a pat on his shoulder. "Let's go." His brother said, softly pushing him out of the carriage.

The moment he hopped off his seat, Danhauser took the advantage to appraise the gigantic castle. The outside layout is comprised of the main structure with a tall building in the background, surrounded by multiple towers with flames protruding around and at the top. Each flaming tower had printed the Phenex symbol.

Someone landed beside Danhauser, it was his brother. "Here they come."

True to his words, two figures were approaching the Belial family. A woman whose blonde hair is done up very high with ornate decorations and a young boy with matching hair and deep, blue eyes.

"Welcome, welcome!" The woman greeted with a smile that could match the sun. "It's an honor to have the Belial Clan in my husband's territory."

"The honor is ours, Lady Phenex," Diehauser nodded in respect before pushing Danhauser slightly forward. "This is my brother, Dan—!"

"—hauser Belial," Lady Phenex finished for him, her eyes darting over to the teenager. Her smile widened slightly. "I thank you for looking after my hummingbird while her brothers and myself weren't there."

Danhauser blushed. "Don't think about it. I had fun talking to her."

"I assure you she had fun too," Lady Phenex pushed her third son forward. "This handsome young man over here is my son, Raiser Phenex."

Raiser smirked. "So this is the guy that sister spoke a lot... a pleasure."

"Likewise," Danhauser nodded.

Raiser's mother gasped quietly behind a hand. "Oh my, I apologize, I shouldn't keep you outside here for too long." She embarrassedly said. "Please, come in! Ruval and my husband are making sure the kitchen is under control."

The Belial family shared constant glances but nonetheless, they followed Lady Phenex and Raiser. The adults building small conversations during the travel as they reached the huge gates of the castle.

* * *

The food wasn't prepared, the early presence of the Belial Family surprised the Phenex Clan, they never anticipated the guests to be already at the tables with empty dishes and stomachs. Danhauser Belial, in the meantime, had the opportunity to catch a glimpse of Ruval and Lord Phenex's appearance as the adults were speaking between them.

Lady Phenex ushered both Danhauser and Raiser Phenex to stay in the latter's room, as the adults kept building up conversations between them, deeply wishing for the great feast to be placed on the long and gallant table.

"And this…" Raiser Phenex trailed off as he pushed the door open against the tide of objects that littered the floor on the other side. "My room!"

As Raiser moved in the middle of his room, Danhauser stepped inside, careful of not stepping on the blond's belongings. His eyes perked up on the walls, noticing the poster of models atop sports cars, motorcycles or wearing a bikini on the beach.

He won't deny it—the models have perfect bodies that incarnate sin. The blessing of being a Devil.

He didn't remember his room being like this from the anime when Raiser goes to train with Tannin about his fear of dragons. Maybe he had it when he was a brat? And as he grew up, he began modifying his room to look fitting to an adult one?

Danhauser shook his head and glanced down, closing the door. He couldn't see even a square centimeter of Raiser's bedroom carpet.

He didn't care about the room's image, in his previous life—he also had it like this when he was a lazy ass.

As his eyes wandered over the floor, they widened slightly when he spotted underwear. Female underwear.

Raiser followed his gaze and laughed shamelessly. "Ha! Don't worry about my bedroom's appearance! The maids didn't have time to clean the rooms, all of them are focusing on making the greatest feast for our guests."

"But why the panties?" Danhauser dumbly asked as he picked his way across the room on tiptoe, trying not to stand on any of Raiser's objects.

Raiser casually shrugged. "Someone from my harem accidentally left it behind."

"Your harem?" Danhauser repeated, while Raiser puffed his chest and nodded proudly. "All your Peerage, I suppose?"

"Of course!" Raiser exclaimed before looking back at Danhauser with a lecherous grin. "What about you? How many sleep with you?"

Someone harshly kicked the door behind them, ending their conversation and their heads around.

On the corridor stood a pouting Ravel Phenex.

"Big brother!" called out Ravel angrily. "Where were you?! The show's about to start! What's taking you so…"

Her words slowly died when she finally noticed the second guest staring back at her with an amused quirked eyebrow.

"Hello there," Danhauser waved.

"L-L-Lord Danhauser!" stuttered Ravel as she hid behind the wall. Then she popped her head around the wall with shaky smile. "I-I'm sorry…! I didn't know you were here!"

"Really? For a second I thought you were informed, Ravel." Danhauser had a hand around his waist, frowning.

Before the blonde girl could respond, her brother attacked. "Ravel! How dare you to kick my door!" he scolded her. "Can't you knock properly?! Now he'll think you're rude. He's our guest, Ravel!"

"Grrrr…!" She glared daggers at Raiser, blushing madly and clenching her tiny fist. "W-why didn't you tell me we had visitors then…!"

The Third son flinched at her sharp gaze but quickly regained his stance. "Maybe if someone paid attention and stopped reading comics…!"

"Comics?" Danhauser spared the wide-eyed girl a curious glance. "You like reading comics?"

"N-no!" She rapidly shook her head—it almost looked like a blur. "No-no, I don't! Only boys read comics!"

"She loves them," Raiser bluntly answered with an eye roll. "She has boxes filled with them."

"S-shut up you s-stupid jerk!"

While Danhauser was enjoying the sight of Ravel's cute display, but she was almost on the stage of shedding tears, something that Raiser also noticed. "You like comics? That's actually interesting to hear."

"…You mean it?" Ravel sniffed and poked her fingers together.

"Of course," he ruffled her golden hair. "It's harmless fun. It's a hobby a lot of outsiders mock, but so what? If a cute, little girl enjoys it, why treat it different than anything else might do to entertain themselves?"

"…" She never said a word, but the shy smile on her face expressed her gratitude.

A slight cough behind them caught their attention, they faced Raiser who was approaching them.

"You wanted me to watch an episode, right?" said Raiser enough to make Ravel's eyes lit up. "Let's go then before I change my mind."

As happy as a rabbit in a carrot field. The blonde jumped from her spot in joy before turning to Danhauser, beaming. "You can join if you want too, Lord Danhauser!"

The gray-haired Devil nodded encouragingly at the door. "Well, lead the way."

* * *

The episode was so action-packed that the screen owns Ravel Phenex's eyeballs from start to end. Her heart rate hiked and only when it ends do both males notice her muscles are tensed. It takes a moment to digest such compressed drama – muscle-bound heroes, celebrities with less and exotic clothing than any girl would wear to the beach and weapons that would make a commando drool.

So far, Ravel was the only one showing her exaggerated reaction at specific events, sometimes muffling her gasp with her small palms, or even absentmindedly leaning over someone to cup her small hands on Danhauser Belial or Raiser Phenex's ear, whispering spoilers, and then she would yelp when both males jabbed her in the side to shut her up.

The camera zooms in on the sky for this progressively serious monologue before cutting to black. Credits roll, accompanied by an upbeat exit theme.

Ravel timidly shook Danhauser's sleeve, nervously looking at him and tearing his attention away from the tv.

"S-so?" She shyly played with her dress. "W-what did you think?"

Danhauser gave his thumbs-up of approval. "It was better than I thought."

Her demeanor took a 180-degree turn. "I know right! It only gets better as the plot keeps moving and they work out and evolve as characters. Lots of people quit in the first couple episodes 'because they don't like the writing' or some other stupid reason. But they have no idea what they're missing! The writing has improved a million times over the seasons it's been on air!"

The Heir blinked at her rant, chuckling afterward. "Well, you have to understand that everyone has different tastes, some people like this, some don't. Simple as that."

She pouted. "B-but! People are always talking badly about it! It's not fair!"

"Just ignore them," Danhauser advised her, patting her. "Thinking about them is just going to get you angry and that's not healthy for someone of your age."

"…Fine!" She huffed and looked away, her cheeks still puffed.

The Heir's eyes darted over the quiet Raiser, who was blankly staring at the commercial still displayed for them.

"What about you, Raiser?" Danhauser asked after shutting off the TV with the remote control. "Like it?"

The blonde teenager grinned lewdly. "I liked the actresses!"

His sister glared, blushing. "…P-pervert."

"Whatever," he waved off Ravel's accusation. His deep, blue eyes clashing with Danhauser's. "Say, heard about the upcoming Rating Games? What am I saying? Of course, you do. You're from the House of Belial—it's obvious you'll be participating too."

"… What of it?"

"Do you have a full Peerage?"

Danhauser shrugged nonchalantly. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't."

"Ha! Keeping your servants in secret, fair enough." Raiser returned the shrug, albeit smugly. "Then I guess you know we'll fight? Don't worry. I'll do my best to put an end as soon as possible."

Danhauser frowned at his confidence. "Well, aren't you a generous lad?" he said, quite mockingly. "What makes you think you'd win?"

That's when Raiser stood up and incinerated his hand, smirking down at Danhauser. "I have the powers of the immortal bird. Wound me as much as you want, my wounds shall be gone in haste!"

 _"Does he even know I have Worthlessness?"_ Danhauser's frown deepened but stayed quiet.

"Just because you can nullify powers doesn't mean you'll win." Alright, he's indeed _aware_ of Danhauser's powers.

"Just because you can regenerate wounds doesn't mean you'll win." Danhauser shot back.

"Big brother Raiser will win!" Ravel countered. "H-he has been training with Big Brother Ruval! Plus he already has a full Peerage! There's nothing that can stop us, the Phenexes! Nothing!"

Danhauser stared at her before closing his eyes, triggering his Senjutsu—he noted the small red glow coming from her stomach. It was a Bishop Piece.

 _"So, she's on his Peerage…"_ Danhauser popped his eyes open and sighed. "I don't want to sound arrogant, but I'm not like many Devils of our generation."

"Nonsense!" Raiser pointed a challenging finger at him. "True, you may be the brother of the Emperor himself, but that doesn't mean you're as strong as him! You are from my generation, you just said it! Our strength should be _equals_ then! Besides, everyone knows that power comes from our Clan Traits, nothing else matters!"

Ravel nodded at her brother encouragingly, supporting his words all from beginning to end. Even if she has a good relationship with Danhauser, she would never swap the people she's kindred with a friend.

Even if that person is a friend she can trust a lot.

The family is always above anything else, after all.

"Sorry, but you're wrong," Danhauser shook his head, moderately irking the boy. "But I won't discuss anymore, have it your way."

Raiser grunted. "Only four days, _Belial._ "

Danhauser remained quiet.

* * *

It didn't take so long for the fourth day to finally crawl between the mountains. It was the time that the Rating Games will commence on the Colosseum. And just when he finally made it to the entrance with his little brother and his Peerage, they were greeted by a horde of Devils waiting impatiently for their turn to participate. It was loud, something that Danhauser Belial even showed displeasure from the way he either grunted or frowned.

It was a sea of people.

It was suffocating.

He noted there was a fair of awestruck stares from the group of young Devils, the parents and the reincarnated ones as they walked through the cramped place to find a suitable place to take a seat. Interesting enough, like real Rating Games, they're taking place over the Dimensional Gap, protected by advanced barriers designed by Ajuka Beelzebub himself. The VIP room isn't an exception, making it easier for the Top Ten to have a better look at the players.

He made sure to stay for a while with his brother, to give him some comfort before his match starts. As he kept stealing side-glances at Danhauser, he would always find him rocking back and forth on the seat. When his eyes flitted to the huge television displaying the ongoing games they left again just as quickly. At any moment his fate was sealed one way or the other. They both knew that.

It didn't matter what The Emperor did, even if he patted Danhauser's back and assured him that everything is going to be alright, the latter just forced a smile and continued rocking himself.

In the end, both brothers had to take a different route, Diehauser on his way to the VIP room meanwhile Danhauser to the arena, it was his turn.

Diehauser sighed for the sixth time during his walk, eyes locked on the floor dressed on a red carpet and in search of the VIP room, where the rest of the Top Ten are watching the quick matches closer than the audience.

He wasn't alone, though.

"Your brother appears to be anxious, Emperor Belial," that light-blonde girl, Valerie Tepes, pointed out. "For a second I thought he would be nibbling his nails."

"I know and it's understandable," said Diehauser after looking up. "This is his first Rating Game and a lot of people are watching him, including the Top Ten."

"Yet, we've been fighting terrorists," Valerie remarked. "This should be a piece of cake for him–he fought dangerous foes than the newbies around here."

"Dan knows he'll win," Diehauser pointed out, massaging his temple. "He's concerned about something else."

"Oh? Enlighten me, where lays the main problem?"

...

...

...

"Emperor–!"

"Me," Emperor Belial finally said. "I am Diehauser Belial, a Devil who has been dominating the Rating Game for a very long time, being undefeated since his debut, and is famously known as "The Emperor" and "Champion of the Rating Games" to everyone in the Underworld."

"… He's insecure about being worthy of the name Belial," The Dhampir finally realized. "Because of your achievements, titles, fame and as the Champion, isn't it?"

Diehauser laughed bitterly, it didn't suit him. "Exactly." He breathed out. "It hurts me seeing that expression on his face, more so when I'm the reason for his self-doubts… at times like this, I just wished I wasn't the Emperor."

Valerie frowned. "Unfortunately, Ars Goetia sees those from the Belial Clan as masters over the Rating Games, they're expected to be talented since birth…. if he loses a single Rating Game…"

She never finished her words, but the Devil and Dhampir knew the rest of the sentence.

Diehauser harrumphed awkwardly after stopping at the VIP's door. He grabbed the knock and gazed down at the girl. "… I have to say you're the first person to be in a VIP room with the Top Ten, not even a Devil has ever managed that."

That's when Valerie brought out her sardonic smile. "I can easily picture the jealous glares coming from half of the Underworld. Amusing."

The Emperor quickly winked down at her, a gesture that right away reminded her of the younger Belial.

He twisted the knob open and let the girl enter first, which she gladly did.

Just as she made it inside, she immediately clashed stares with those who were waiting here.

…

"Well, shit," A familiar voice said. She knew who it was, the forked tail and light-red eyes were a giveaway, this was the man who changed her life in the first place. "Long time no see, bloodsucker!"

Her eye twitched at the nickname but stayed on her ground. "Indeed, long time no see, Mr. Malebranche."

"Do you know her, Malacoda?" said a blond-haired gentleman, glaring daggers at the intruder. "Why is a non-Devil on prohibited grounds?"

Malacoda Malebranche laughed and wrapped a friendly arm around the Devil's neck. "Gee! Don't get your tight n' wet panties in a bunch, Bedeze! She won't do any harm!"

Bedeze Abaddon grounded his teeth and pushed Malacoda away from him. "Get off me, you brainless ape!" He angrily dusted off his suit. "How can the Champion handle your vulgarity is beyond my reach!"

Malacoda just rolled his eyes, smirking. He gave a playful and welcoming salute to his nephew.

Diehauser smiled and waved back.

"Oh, Bedeze darling," came the voice of a sensual and mature dame. "You should wipe that frown off your face, it doesn't suit you."

The third ranker sharply turned at the woman, growling. " Mind your business, Roygun."

Roygun Belphegor sighed disapprovingly, passing a hand through her long, wavy, cherry-blossom hair, almost brushing her horns. "That attitude of yours won't get you anywhere."

Before any Devil could invoke their demonic powers, Diehauser immediately intervened. "The girl comes with me. I'll keep an eye on her if she tries to do something suspicious."

"… If The Emperor is fine with it then I concede," Bedeze stepped back, briefly glaring at Valerie before walking away, joining the rest of the Top Ten sightseeing the countless television screens.

Roygun just hummed in acceptance whilst sneaking a smile at the Dhampir before addressing Diehauser. "The time has come for your little brother. How does he feel about this?"

Diehauser heaved a sigh. "When I gave him some company, he was agitated… I don't know if he's already calm and focused."

"I'm afraid not," a familiar voice brought the unfortunate news. "Prince Danhauser is still looking uneasy by this event."

"You think so, Rudiger?" Diehauser stood beside the Rosicrucian, peeking at the televisions with worry. "I hope he gets a hold of himself."

"It's understandable why he's tense," Rudiger Rosenkreutz continued, his green eyes reflecting the screen's light. "This is his first Rating Game after all."

"Are you alright, Rudiger?" The Champion asked, concerned. "You seem angry."

"He looks very sad to me," Roygun muttered.

"I'm fine."

"Don't get why he's nervous," Malacoda's barbed tail scratched his head. "My nephew's ripped. He'll kick that chicken's ass in no time!"

"I wouldn't be so sure, Coda," another blond man laughed humorously, it was Ruval. "I've been training my brother. He's got this."

"Yeah, no," Evil Tail snorted. "Only three weeks he'd trained from what you'd told me. My sister's brat has been training for a few months now, she even sees him as a _training maniac_. You better start calling the ambulance!"

"My brother has a full Peerage already!"

"A shitty one!"

"The fight hasn't started yet and both of you are already insulting one another." grunted an irritated Bedeze. "A pathetic sight that's for sure. Both of you just shut your mouths and wait for the match to begin."

"I'm with Bedeze," Tannin grunted, eyes not leaving the televisions. "… If you two are wishing to argue so badly, use your fists, not your mouths."

"…You two are always pissed," pouted Malacoda. "Maybe it's time to pull out that stick off your asses."

Bedeze snorted at his vulgarity. "Typical of you, Malacoda."

Valerie watched silently, give a sarcastic remark was like begging for a death wish. Those standing over the Top Four are Ultimate-Class Devils among Ultimate-Class Devils and have power equal to the present Satans, it would be unwise to try and look smart just to gain the hatred of the Top Ten.

"Only ten minutes until the match finally commences," muttered Rudiger. "And so far…"

"He hasn't calmed down," Diehauser finished with a sigh. "Troublesome."

"I can talk to him if you want," blurted out Valerie, surprising herself. "Maybe you could also try it yourself, but we both know the reason behind his nervousness."

Rudiger finally understood. "Hoh. So that's the glaring issue with Prince Danhauser?" He hummed thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. "Interesting. To think that his fear came because this was his first Rating Game… but the source comes from something… _someone_ else."

"What?" Malacoda tilted his head. "Whaddaya mean?"

"Only eight minutes remaining," Roygun reminded them. "If you two have something in mind to help the boy then it's now or never, darling."

Diehauser pursed his lips, glancing at Ruval. "You… wouldn't you mind? I promise she won't tell a thing about your brother's Peerage members… but I understand if you don't want to."

The Heir of Phenex nonchalantly shrugged. "If I were in your shoes, I'd also be sick worried about my little brother and my little hummingbird, the cameras aren't recording for the audience yet and visits are still allowed. Plus this fight isn't something you should take seriously…"

Bedeze snorted in disagreement. "Wrong, Ruval. This is their very first match. With this fight, they'll make a reputation in the Underworld's society either a good one or a bad one… and we know how strict they are."

Ruval sighed. "You really have to darken the mood, don't you?"

"Nobles are watching this game from their mansions," Bedeze pointed out. "They never hold back when it's all about using their sharp tongues and spreading their judgment to other people."

"And brainwashing them…" muttered Malacoda, arms folded. He had to side with Bedeze, while Raiser may be pardoned in this match, his nephew is a different story, you can't compare those two. Danhauser is a _Belial_ , Raiser is a _Phenex_.

One House is famous for the victories in Rating Games, the other Clan because of healing tears.

"Either way. Sure, go for it." The blond turned to Valerie. "Just don't go telling him about Raiser's plans and servants."

She just nodded in acceptance.

"Thank you. I owe you one, Ruval," Diehauser smiled before facing Bedeze. "Bedeze, can you please use your powers over Hole to teleport her there?"

The third-ranked scowled and shot Valerie a warning glare. He clicked his tongue. "Be grateful that the Emperor himself asked for this, or else I wouldn't help you."

Before Valerie could give a mocking bow, Bedeze immediately snapped his fingers. A hole of her size sculpted besides her, almost startling the Dhampir.

She carefully peeped inside the hole, it was all black and endless as if she was gazing into the abyss with the latter staring back at her.

"Get inside and you'll be in the lobby with Prince Danhauser in a haste," Bedeze ordered, a pinch of pride mixing with his voice after witnessing his work. "When the match begins, I'll make another one and you better get inside. Make it quick and don't waste anyone's time."

Valerie turned to Emperor Belial. "I'll make sure he's calm," she promised before inhaling and hesitantly stepping inside.

Everyone just stared silently at Bedeze's Clan Trait, as if the girl was going to come back already from her quest.

"So…" Malacoda said after an awkward silence, nudging Diehauser with a mischevious grin. "Are they dating now or what?"

"…" The Champion looked from the portal to his uncle's wiggling eyebrows, repeating the same steps a few times.

He snorted and broke into a smile. "I don't know… but I guess I've got teasing material."

* * *

Danhauser Belial blinked owlishly at the sight of a hole glaring back at them, of all things, he wasn't expecting a damn void shape in front of them.

Satanael attacking them made more sense, honestly.

"What," Tobio Ikuse plainly said, pointing at the portal, with Jin taking a stance. "The hell's that?"

Siegfried just pointed his sword at it, standing in front of his master. "Stand behind Master!"

"Relax," Danhauser laid a hand over his tensed Knight's shoulder, softly shoving him aside. "While this doesn't happen in the Rating Games at all, this isn't something threatening."

"How can you tell?" asked Tobio.

"The Top Tens are also here with us, but in a different room," Danhauser explained. "Pretty sure if this was something that could kill us, they would jump right into the action."

Bova Tannin grunted, disappointed.

Finally, a familiar, feminine beauty walked out of the portal, surprising the Peerage.

"Valerie…?" Danhauser trailed off. "Is something wrong? Or are you here to know about your friend's progress?"

"None of that," Valerie Tepes shook her head. "I'm here because of you. You seem agitated."

He suddenly chuckled, running a hand through his gray hair. "Well, the Top Ten and a lot of people are waiting for this match to begin. Of course, I'm nervous."

"We both know your problem doesn't lie in the match itself," Valerie bluntly said. "It lies on you as a Belial."

…

"Uh…" Slash Dog awkwardly pointed somewhere else. "We will, uh, give you some privacy guys."

"We would appreciate it," she said, not looking away from Danhauser's intense eyes.

"R-right…"

Just as they left, Danhauser released an empty sigh. "This fight is winnable… but this isn't my last Rating Game, there are more to come... sooner or later, I'll fight against the Top Ten and the chances of losing against them are so damn high..."

"So what?" The Romanian scowled. "I understand your issues, if you somehow lose a match, they'll rain rotten tomatoes at you for failing as a Belial, but from the time we spent together, you never cared what other people think about you, except your family."

He dryly chuckled. "There, you just said it. My great family. Ars Goetia is not going to hold back insulting my Clan and my brother because of my crime. Diehauser worked _hard_ to make the Belial into what it is today. I'll just... fuck everything up if I lose any Rating Game."

"So…" he said, stopping to take a deep breath. He let it all out in one sigh. His eyes remained fixed on the floor, swallowing hard. "I don't want to…"

He didn't want to say it.

"… Continuing to think about it certainly isn't going to help anything," scolded Valerie. "How many times have I told you? Anyone who can't adapt will die, or in this case, lose. Misfortune and death is the only thing awaiting those who are unable or unwilling to adapt. If that happens, you only have yourself to blame."

He weakly flailed his arms, grunting. "Then what should I do?"

"Adapt and win…" Valerie stated the obvious, playing with a pigtail. "… but in a unique way."

Danhauser raised a confused eyebrow, letting her continue.

"Your dream is to become the next Champion of the Rating Games, is it not?" Valerie smirked devilishly. "Then prove it in this fight. However, keep in mind that most of your generation also wants the throne. You need to conquer this match _unexpectedly_. So you can remind those who want to steal your goal. The House of _Belial_ that is."

Danhauser glanced down at his hand and clenched it. "I need to defend it. My title." He met her gaze. "Right?"

The Heir saw how her red pools glinted with satisfaction. He liked it. "Indeed."

He took a deep breath and relaxed his thrumming heart. "Alright then, I'll do that." He flashed her a weak smile. "Thank you, Valerie. I needed that."

The Dhampir stared skeptically. "That… that was surprisingly fast."

"Didn't you said that thinking about it isn't going to help a thing?" Danhauser winked at her. "Don't take it in the wrong way, I'm still scared as hell of the future Rating Games." He said, amused. "But I guess I have to suck it up and face my fears head-on, eh?"

"That's another way of seeing it," drawled Valerie. "While I would love to converse more, I think it's about time for you reunite with your Peerage."

Danhauser nodded and spun around. "Totally. I would say enjoy the game, but it won't last too long."

"Just one last thing," said Valerie before stepping inside Bedeze Abaddon's hole.

Danhauser glanced behind his shoulder. "Hmm?"

"Take advantage of this game," she advised. "Chances of the Top Ten ever seeing your future games are quite low. Opportunities like this one aren't meant to be wasted. Win their attention."

The Heir of Belial nodded. "Take care, Valerie."

"Break a leg," were her last words before drifting away in Bedeze's hole.

"Nothing wrong I hope?" Siegfried asked when Danhauser joined them on the rounded table.

"Nothing wrong," Danhauser repeated, rubbing his hands. "Alright then, who's ready for the match?"

"Only three minutes," Tobio warned, glaring at the clock on the wall. "We don't even have time to build a plan, damn."

"I have one," said Danhauser. "Don't hold back and win. Simple as that."

"Heh!" Bova cracked his knuckles. "A plan I could follow and gets straight to the point. I like it!"

"If we're going to do that, do we at least know how many servants our opponent has?" Siegfried asked with a frown.

"All of them," responded Danhauser, shocking both Knights. "Yes, that includes the Queen."

The Rook chuckled. "Now, it gets fun."

"And you want us to fight _without_ a strategy?!" Siegfried said concerned. "We can't do that!"

"Yes we can," insisted Danhauser. "This is just another mode of Rating Game called _Lightning Fast Game_. It's a quick match. The moment we stepped outside of the doors and walk further away from this room, we'll be facing two corridors which take us to the middle of the arena, where the supposed battle between both Peerages are going to be seen."

"Are they trying to test the strength of this generation?" Tobio scratched his head.

"Definitely," responded the King before looking down at the map. "There's no point in scouting the arena because we can't leave yet, and there's no place to hide for a surprise attack, all we can do is counter their attacks and win."

Before anyone could respond, a new voice came from a broadcast. **[Both Peerages stand in front of the doors. One minute before the match starts.]**

"Shit," Bova paled slightly, his tail freezing. "T-that's my father…"

"Wait, your old man is in the Top Ten?" Tobio asked aloud.

"Yes, he is!" Bova gulped, tapping his foot impatiently on the floor. "Now we can't lose no matter what!"

"Don't worry, we won't," Danhauser assured him, moving in front of the exit alongside his Peerage.

It was silence after that, everyone looked at the locked entrance with different levels of determination. Bova looked around the room as if he was trying to spot any camera recording them and melt it with his fire. Apparently, the news of his father watching the event surprised him.

Danhauser could understand him, his brother and uncle were also there. His mother wasn't, after all, she has a dislike for the Rating Games' system.

The tension was like joining a new school and introducing yourself to your new class or pass to the front to present a topic about a subject-matter.

But there's no other option left. He has to do it. He has to do something that no one from the past, present and future generation would dare to do. An arrogant move everytime Danhauser thought about it, but it was necessary. For his dream and to give a greater name to the House of Belial.

Danhauser's thoughts vanished when the twin doors slid wide open.

 **[Begin!]**

* * *

They never clashed stares to see who goes first, everyone jumped right in, rushing on the single corridor with their wings exposed. Bova, because of his gargantuan size, had to shrink his size to not fall back from the two Knights and King.

It was embarrassing because his father was mostly keeping an eye out on him.

They stopped when they reached two directions.

"The corridors!" Tobio said, constantly looking from right to left. "Where?!"

"Go to the right!" Danhauser pointed to that direction. "I'll take care of the left side! If something wrong happens, remember we can communicate with our earpieces."

Siegfried looked ready to argue, but he never had the opportunity when the dragon grunted in approval. "You got this, Danhauser," Bova growled and turned to the rest. "You heard Boss Hauser! Get moving!"

The King quickly left before anyone could start a quarrel, this was supposed to be a quick match! The faster the game ends, the greater they would be graded by the professionals.

As he kept flying on the large corridor, he closed his eyes and triggered his Sage Arts. He sensed the figures from the right side flying at the same speed as him, obviously his Peerage. Surprisingly, there where multiple sources of life approaching them.

Danhauser immediately brought a finger to his ear. "Targets are approaching you guys. Four in total."

 **[How do you know?]** Tobio asked before realizing. **[Senjutsu?]**

"Bingo," he said after taking a halt in the air. "… Three Pawns and a Bishop."

 **[Okay, I can get you can see them with Senjutsu,]** said Tobio. **[But know what pieces they are? That's kind of broken.]**

 _"Well, I do know what Pieces they are anyways, thanks reincarnation!_ " Pretty much it was a useless ability for him, but if he didn't know about DxD then his reaction would be so different.

He never looked a gift horse in the mouth anyway, so he's fine with it.

"I can see things related to life," Danhauser explained, resuming his flight. "The Evil Pieces can reincarnate people that were dead, but there's a time limit for that. That's just a theory, though."

 **[Understood,]** Siegfried probably nodded. **[Anything else we should be warned of, Master?]**

"Since they're already in our corridors, they have the ability to Promote to any other piece, only pawns can do that." Danhauser spotted four life sources coming from his corridors. "When you guys are done, leave me the rest."

 **[Break them.]** Bova grunted before falling into silence.

Slowly, Danhauser descended and sheathed his bat wings. While the room was slightly damped in darkness, his night and enhanced vision helped him to see who he's standing his way.

Two Nekomatas. A girl with a mask covering half her face. And a girl with a huge sword.

He could also see the doors behind his adversaries.

The red-haired Youkai sniffed the area. "He... he knows Senjutsu, careful Ni."

Ni nodded at Li and raised her hands defensively.

"Is that so...?" The masked girl smirked with satisfaction and placed a finger in her ear. "We found him." She quickly took a stance. "For a second I thought we had to walk to your hiding spot, but lo and behold, you ran right—!"

Her words died out when a fist of resin crashed into her face, hurling her away.

"Isabela!" The girl with the huge sword cried out, wide-eyed after seeing her ally lay unconscious on the ground before vanishing.

 **[Raiser Phenex's Rook, retired.]** came the voice of Tannin.

"..." Danhauser quietly pulled his spear out.

The Knight saw red. "You fuck!" she cursed and unsheathed her Zweihänder, racing at him and boosting her speed thanks to her piece. "Crush that bastard!"

"Let's go, Ni!"

"Nya!"

Both Nekomatas leaped at him after promoting into a pair of Rooks and started venting streaks of punches and kicks. Meanwhile, Siris tried to swing her heavy sword to any part of his limbs to put him down like a stray dog.

Danhauser countered the punches and kicks with attacks of his own and parried the sword with the base of his spear and finally, he snapped his fingers and a two magic seals formed under the Nekomatas, prompting a large arm made of resin to smash against their chins and blasted them on the ceiling.

 **[Two of Raiser Phenex's Pawns, retired.]**

Siris saw in horror as her partners teleported away from the battlefield. None of them had the chance to even scream in pain.

Her grip around the Zweihänder weakened as she hesitantly turned to face the culprit, only for her face to suddenly morph itself inside-out when Danhauser's fist slammed down.

Seconds later, Danhauser watched how his attack made Siris fly away like a ragdoll, destroying the doors as she forcefully built distance from him.

 **[Raiser's Phenex's Knight, retired.]**

Danhauser never contemplated his work as he closed his eyes and turned on his Senjutsu, multiple figures were ahead of him, curiously enough, one of them didn't have an Evil Piece implanted in their body.

"Raiser," Danhauser opened his eyes and ran to where the source of light came.

 **[Raiser Phenex's Bishop, retired.]** Tannin said once more. This time it came from the hands of his Peerage.

Danhauser finally stepped inside the arena, coming face-to-face with Raiser and his remaining servants."So, here I am."

The third son of Phenex had his eyes wide in shock. If it wasn't for his sister who gripped his sleeve and shakily shook it, he'd be resembling a statue. "W-what have you done to my girls?!" He demanded with a hand engulfed in flames. "You'll pay for that, Belial!"

 **[Three of Raiser Phenex's Pawns, retired.]**

...

"N-no way…!" Ravel whispered the pawns that stayed with them were still intact. "The Pawns we sent to scout the area… they were defeated by Lord Danhauser's servants..."

 **[Done, Boss Hauser.]** Bova said from Danhauser's earpiece. **[We leave you the rest. Kick some ass!]**

Raiser felt his body heat in anger. "Damn you! Damn you! DAMN YOU!" He exploded and quickly took his time to calm down. He didn't want to scare his sister after all. "... You may have defeated some of my girls, but that's just it!" He suddenly pointed aside. "The Top Ten and the whole Underworld are watching us up close! I will not lose!"

That's when Danhauser's stoic mask shattered. His eyes widened in realization as his head bolted to where Raiser's finger was pointing to the distance.

Truth to his words, there was a VIP room floating from far away, the glass was tinted in black, impossible for the players to see the spectators, but those inside the Igloo-like structure have the perfect view of the arena. From the corner of his eyes, he also spotted a few cameras floating around through magic, their optic lenses locked on them.

He looked away when he felt his brother's stare clashing with his. Danhauser's frazzled nerves jumped all together, and in different directions, but never made it to his facial muscles or skin. His complexion remained gray-pale and matt, his eyes as steady as if he was calmly engrossed in a book.

He let out an understated sigh and charged his arms with demonic energy. "I won't lose either, Raiser."

The blond gritted his teeth in silent fury. "… Fine then! Attack! Show him the power of the immortal bird, girls!"

"You heard Lord Raiser! Karlamine, Xuelan!" The Bomb Queen said to the Rook and Knight before taking upstairs. "Let's win for Lord Raiser!"

The Knight readied her sword and nodded. "I will honor the Phenex Clan!" She vowed before turning into a blur.

The Chinese Rook turned to the maid Pawns and the blue-haired one. "You three! Don't stay there watching!"

[For Lord Raiser!]

Danhauser just observed the remaining servants charging at him. The Queen just flew upwards, ready to rain down explosions at him. He was still charging his power. Quickly wrapping himself over Worthlessness when the Queen and Raiser tossed fireballs from the distance, attempting to break his stance.

The Heir of the Rating Games reacted after seeing how fast they were closing. He slammed his palms on the floor and two _large_ demonic circles expanded on the floor with waves of Pitch Resin sliding out of them.

While they had the time to invoke their wings, they weren't quick enough to take flight and dodge the incoming flood that crashed into them, seizing them.

"I-I can't move!" Xuelan angrily shouted, trying to pick herself up, but to no avail. "It's so damn sticky!"

"Use your powers!" Ravel called out from the air, Raiser quickly joining her.

"W-we can't Lady Ravel!" The blue-haired one, Mira, said trying to launch fire from her palms. "Something is impeding us!"

"I can't even cut it out!" Karlamine cried out, awkwardly stabbing the blobs of resin.

That's when Ravel understood everything. "… The Resin is combined with his Belial Trait!"

"What?!" Her brother snapped. "How in the hell are they getting out of there then?!"

The blonde began ravishing her brain for a plan. Magic was impossible because of the Resin being surrounded by Worthlessness and just by looking at Xuelan, struggling in Resin proved that not even physical force was enough to be free from the pool. Truly, the Belial Trait working together with the Malebranche Trait was a threatening combination.

It made the victim feel weak and worthless.

"I-I don't know…" Ravel stammered and hung her head down from shame. "Defeat Lord Danhauser is the only way… but… c-can we?"

Suddenly, Danhauser snapped his fingers, summoning multiple demonic circles around his trapped opponent, shaping them into limbs of resin, and then he struck at his opponents from various directions repeatedly, pummeling his targets deeper into the viscous lake.

Ravel watched in horror as the girls cried in agony, reaching the stage of unconsciousness from the bruises and unyielding attacks. Yet, that was the only way to escape from the Danhauser's trap.

Raiser felt a lump in his throat as the light wrapped his servants and magically left the arena, followed by Tannin's strong voice promptly announcing their retirement.

His greatest fighters easily handed down by someone who was still a virgin on the Rating Games, just like him. And the more he kept looking at him, he noticed how his clothing wasn't ruined and his grey skin held no bruise.

"Y-Yubelluna!" Raiser called out after tearing off his shock. "Do it!"

"Y-yes my Lord!" Yubelluna invoked magic circles around her and released her artillery in Danhauser's direction. "Perish!"

Danhauser in return brought out his fake Gate of Babylon and countered it with his own waves of demonic power.

The attacks collided and created a curtain of smoke that impeded sight of everyone. The entire arena was now engulfed by smoke. Even the spectators were having trouble looking. They only caught barely, noticeable silhouettes.

While the Phenex Clan were famous because of their powers over immortality and fire, they also held control over Aerokinesis. Raiser proved it by unleashing torrents of wind to dispel the smoke. His sister immediately assisted him.

Just as the Phenex was halfway done with the fume, they noticed a figure behind the mist holding something akin to a lance, tightly twisting his resin arm and then untwisting it while thrusting the spear forward, creating a powerful drilling stab that was launched at Yubelluna's direction.

They never had the chance to warn Yubelluna, watching with mouths hanging open as the limb of resin reached the Bomb Queen and stabbed her with the spear, easily slamming her on the nearest wall.

Yubelluna gasped out, her hands instinctively reaching for her stained abdomen, wincing whenever her digits felt the cold weapon piercing her stomach and the fingers of resin gripping it.

Coughing a chunk of blood, she vanished in the same light.

 **[Raiser Phenex's Queen, retired.]**

"No…" Raiser barely audible murmur flew from his dry lips, slowly turning to the one responsible for this wrongdoing. He instantly felt his veins and soul boil to an unimaginable temperature. "No! _No!_ NO!"

Ravel gasped when Raiser flew away from her, arms enveloped by Phoenix fire. "B-big brother! W-wait!"

"I'll turn you into ashes!" roared Raiser with the might of a lion. Taking flight and amassing a large amount of flames around his body, by first swinging his outstretched hand around him, summoning the flames in preparation for an attack.

"BURN!" And lastly, his fist grasped into the flames and launched it as a column of fire at his target, slowly taking the shape of a primordial bird.

The Heir made a single demonic sigil beside him—he took aim at the enraged flames and fired a large, tentacle-like blunt weapon of resin, with much of it imbued with Worthlessness that the flames dispersed just by touching it. Finally, the resin reached his opponent and harmed the immortal body of Raiser and at the same time, entrapping him.

 _"Good game, Raiser,"_ Danhauser, however, wasn't done. He gritted his teeth and changed the trajectory of his resin, saving Raiser from crashing into a wall and vigorously changing his landing spot.

"…" Ravel fell to her knees and watched her desperate brother trying to pull his limbs out of this sticky situation but seeing no progress on escaping from the resin, he let out a frustrated scream to the heavens as he and the _VIP room_ closened gaps. "… B-but, we're immortal… birds…!" she insisted, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

A single train of thought stopped on her mind.

She cast an unsure look at her small hands but said nothing, hesitantly watching Danhauser's back.

She quickly looked away when an immerse scream of pain erupted from Raiser's mouth as he pierced the building.

* * *

Valerie Tepes coughed and blinked, the room was consumed with a single shade of light brown. It looked like the light has given up on trying to break through this iron curtain of clouds that it has become content to lounging out behind them.

Thankfully, the cloud of debris dispersed by the perfect powers of aerokinesis made by Ruval Phenex.

When the room was finally cleaned their eyes followed the black tentacle crawling away from its hole, leaving an unconscious Raiser Phenex down on the ground.

No one reacted when they found the third son of Lord Phenex lying on the floor with eyes rolled back. Ruval's brother instincts triggered as he and ran knelt in front of his little brother. Unfortunately, Ruval never had the time to check his brother's wounds, as Raiser vanished to the medical bay.

Tannin, whose tail was holding a microphone, brought it closer to his powerful jaws. "Raiser Phenex has been defeated, victory goes to Danhauser Belial."

…

"Shaaahahahahaha!" Malacoda Malebranche laughed giddily, slapping contently his knee. "The way he used his old geezer's Clan Trait! I'm proud! Really, _really_ proud!"

"W-what is the meaning of this?!" Came the angry words of Bedeze Abaddon as he glared at Evil Tail. "Is this treason?!"

"Nah, this isn't a threesome."

"That's not what I said, you dumbass!"

"It isn't," Diehauser Belial massaged his nose. "He wouldn't do that."

"Then what is it?" Bedeze demanded, fists clenched. "Emperor Belial. He knew, from the beginning, we were here, there's no way this was an accident."

"It would be unwise for him to do something like that, darling." Roygun Belphegor pointed out. "He totally knew we were here. It would be a fool's gambit to rebel against Ars Goetia when the Top Ten aren't so far from him."

"Why didn't you stop him, then?" Malacoda's eyes darted over Bedeze with a grin. "I mean, you could've used your Hole."

The blond-haired Devil sweated slightly. "W-well!" He stuttered, breaking stares. "S-shut your mouth, Malacoda!"

"Not trying to antagonize him but…" Ruval sighed as he stood up, rubbing his neck. "…. then why would he attack us?"

"Isn't it obvious?" The Dhampir accidentally spoke, catching everyone's attention. "… this is a message to all of you."

Ruval's eyes widened slightly. "A message…?" He muttered, getting a hum from Valerie. "You… You are not… he _wouldn't_ do something so…!"

Suddenly, an empty chuckle left from Rudiger Rosenkreutz's throat, silencing the Phenex. "… He's defending it. His dream."

"Heh!" Tannin grunted, smirking whilst folding his heavy arms. "Danhauser Belial is confronting us to become the next Champion."

Bedeze gaped. "So he's _threatening_ us?" He glared demandingly at the girl. "Doesn't he understand that the Top Ten is made by Devils whose strength is compared or _rivals_ that of a Satan-Class Devil!?"

Valerie gave her trademark, sardonic smirk. "Of course he does, but that won't stop him."

Ruval frowned and watched from the hole his brother passed through, he easily spotted Danhauser Belial walking to a stunned Ravel Phenex, ruffling her hair.

Finally, he looked at another way. "Is that so…" he trailed off, snickering while shaking his head in amusement. "Welp! Now I'm excited to meet him!"

Diehauser blinked. "… Excuse me, what?"

Ruval just gave a thumbs up, looking over his shoulder. "Hey, Bedeze, think you can take us there so we can catch up with him?"

The third ranker raised an eyebrow but quickly smirked knowingly. "Leave it to me, Ruval."

"Great!" Ruval nodded before facing the other Devils. "So, what is it? Who wishes to say hello to Diehauser's brother?"

"Sign us in!" Malacoda instantly answered for everyone with enthusiasm.

Diehauser clashed stares with Valerie with the light-blonde girl slowly shrugging. He shot Ruval a suspicious glare. "What are you trying to do?"

The Heir of Phenex just laughed and slapped Diehauser's back assuringly. "Relax! We just want to know him better. Am I right, guys?"

"Hell yeah!" Malacoda gave the goofiest grin of all time. "Gotta see my little nephew, after all!"

The Emperor kept glaring.

"If you wish so, you may come with us," Rudiger suggested with a charming smile. "Taking the responsibilities of an older brother, you must be eager to congratulate Prince Danhauser for his first, victorious match."

Before Diehauser could open his mouth, Bedeze finished his Hole. "Everyone, the portal is done."

Not wasting any more time, Bedeze, Rudiger, Ruval, and Malacoda walked in, leaving the portal open for the remaining people.

Tannin stood beside Diehauser. "You know they aren't going to give your brother a warm greeting, don't you?" He dropped the bomb.

"I know," Diehauser held back a sigh. "… but Dan asked for it."

"Then that means you're not going to help him," Tannin commented, nodding in approval. "Good. Danhauser Belial needs to confront his consequences alone."

"Seriously, they're going to try and intimidate a teenager," Roygun shook her head. "Sometimes, I don't understand the mindset of a male… but I guess we females aren't easy to understand either."

Diehauser curved an eyebrow. "So you're not offended by his actions, Roygun?"

"Of course not, darling," the cherry-blossom woman waved off his worries lazily. "This is a child we're talking about, one whose ambition is to become the second champion apparently. Why would I get angry at a teenager chasing his dreams? In fact, I'm curious to see him climb the ladder."

"You know Danhauser Belial isn't the only one who wants to be the next champion?" Tannin reminded her with a grunt. "What makes him different from the other brats?"

The second ranker nonchalantly pointed at the hole in the wall. "His dedication to attain his ambitions. Just like Bedeze said, no one would dare to threaten the Top Ten… he's the first one to do so."

"While I would not wish to interrupt your conversation," Valerie pointed at the portal. "Perhaps it would be wise to keep at least an eye out if things start to get out of control."

Diehauser nodded in agreement. "Good idea, let's move."

* * *

"We did it!" Tobio Ikuse broke into a cheer after teleporting back to the waiting room. "Holy shit! We've won our first Rating Game! We should celebrate! Drink's on the house today!"

Jin barked in agreement!

"A pity none of them were a swordswoman," Siegfried sighed in disappointment. "Master took the only two Knights from our opponent's Peerage."

"Damn right he did!" roared Bova Tannin, tail dancing happily. "He took _half_ of them! I knew joining your Peerage was a great decision after all!"

Danhauser Belial flushed, distracting himself with the multitude of Devils waiting for their turn. "Yeah…"

"Not only that," Bova continued, eyes sparkling with childish amazement. "You even dared to attack the Top Ten! Especially my old man!"

"About that," Tobio drawled, massaging nervously his sore shoulder. "Was that really a good idea?"

"Totally," a new voice responded to him, surprising Danhauser and his Peerage. "As a Belial, it would be disappointing if his fight ended like the others, after all."

The Heir of Belial followed the familiar voice. He smiled slightly when he spotted a familiar figure. "Fancy seeing you here, Sairaorg."

The _new_ Heir of Bael returned the smile. "Likewise, Danhauser."

…

…

…

"O-Oh!" Danhauser finally caught on, he coughed awkwardly behind a fist and turned to his Peerage. "Everyone, he's a good friend of mine, Sairaorg Bael."

"An honor meeting you, Prince Sairaorg." Siegfried bowed politely.

"Same here," Tobio gave a two-finger salute. "The name's Tobio Ikuse, and that little dog is Jin."

Jin barked obediently!

"Bova," The Dragon said with arms folded.

"Nice meeting you all," Sairaorg nodded at everyone before turning to Danhauser. "Either way, I'm here to congratulate you for your flawless victory."

"Thanks for the words," Danhauser said in gratitude, frowning. "When does your match start, by the way? I don't want to miss it."

"It already finished a while ago," replied Sairaorg after a long sigh. "I was one of the first ones chosen to fight on the Rating Games. I've won."

Danhauser clicked his tongue. "Damn… that's unlucky. I never had the opportunity to see yours, I'm so sorry."

Sairaorg shrugged. "Don't think about it. It wasn't that difficult and didn't last long either, so you didn't miss anything special."

"Which begs the next question…" Danhauser trailed off, eyebrow curled. "Why were you here if your game was done?"

That's when a pair of beautiful hands landed on Sairaorg's shoulders. "That is because my little prince wanted to meet you."

Embarrassed, Sairaorg uttered. "M-mom, please!"

Misla Bael gave her son a whoopsie grin and addressed Danhauser. "It's a pleasure seeing you for a second time, Prince Danhauser." She bowed her head. "I've seen your match alongside my little prince… I never expected for you to indirectly attack those among the greatest in Rating Games…"

"Everyone's whispering about it," Sairaorg added, eyeing the Devils who were staring at them, murmuring and quickly looking away. "… You really made a scene, expect a few challenges."

"Heh!" Bova chuckled as he also noticed a few glaring in their direction. "Good timing. I want to know if Devils' gut is best served at room temperature or not."

The Dragon grinned, pleased with their terrified expressions.

"Heard it's even better if the Devil is still breathing, the fear adds... spice," Danhauser said slowly.

"That's something Valerie would say," Slash Dog pointed out.

"By the way…" Misla trailed off as her eyes narrowed and wandered around in search of something.

Failing, she focused on Danhauser. "Where's your mother?"

Danhauser's shoulders slumped slightly. "She's…" he pursed his lips and kicked clumsily the floor. "She-she dislikes the Rating Games… so…"

"Don't let that get you down!" Misla almost shouted, alarming everyone. "Your mother has her reasons. What matters is her love, passion, and compassion for you. Keep your chin high, Prince Danhauser!"

He suddenly felt awkward by Misla's berates, the cute and determined frown shaped on her face made it more embarrassing. He raised his hands in self-defense. "Don't get me wrong. I fully understand why her distaste for the Rating Games… and I won't judge my mother because of that."

Misla gave a motherly smile. "It's nice to see how understanding you are with her."

Before anyone could change the subject, a sudden portal black as the abyss rippled near the group.

"Is that what I think it is…?" Sairaorg murmured with wide eyes. He knew very well that hole is famously known across the Underworld. His Queen has the same power as a well-known third ranker of the Rating Game.

"That's Valerie?" Tobio asked loudly. "… right, guys?"

"… I have the feeling this isn't the case here," Siegfried frowned. "Unless Valerie has obtained immense power right off the bat."

Danhauser was as well aware of it. At first, he expected Valerie Tepes stepping out of the portal, but what he didn't expect was a blond-haired man left the hole followed by other powerful devils that involved familiar faces such as his uncle and brother.

The Dhampir was the last one to leave the portal before it vanished from sight.

He accidentally clashed stares with Rudiger Rosenkreutz, hastily looking away from his deep, green eyes.

"O-old man…" Bova cracked out, trying his best to freeze his shaky tail.

His father nodded at him, ignoring his nervousness. "Bova."

The blond-haired gentleman, Ruval Phenex, took a deep breath and released it. He glanced down at Danhauser with a smirk. "Ah… Danhauser Belial, just the Devil we wanted to meet."

"Everyone, look!" A Devil alerted the whole room, Danhauser didn't even notice how the horde had shifted closer to them, it made him nervous. "The Top Ten, they're here!"

It didn't last long for the citizen to pile up the crowd and try catching the Top Ten Devils' attention. Danhauser had to push and shove just to get his personal space back, he couldn't see if he was going to bump into a wall or crash into a person. The cameras flashed and the questions hurled at them without any mercy.

Devils such as Bedeze Abaddon and Ruval turned a blind eye at the multitude—their gaze fixated with Danhauser's tensed ones.

Diehauser Belial and Rudiger showed discomfort by the tight spotlight, doing their best to look invisible.

Valerie silently slid next to Danhauser and his Peerage without them noticing.

Meanwhile, Roygun Belphegor smiled coolly, patting and ruffling the children's head affectionally.

Malacoda Malebranche, however, stuck with flexing his muscles out for the cameras and flirted with any single woman he caught sight of.

Unfortunately, all ended when Tannin grew angrier by the flashes and multiple, noisy voices, slamming his tail to the ground. Hard. "Silence!"

The room fell in complete silence.

…

…

…

Ruval the Phoenix chuckled. "Welp, this turned awkward." He laughed, attempting to lighten the atmosphere. "We've seen your match. Not bad, for being your first time on a Rating Game... perhaps the myth about the Belials is true. They _always_ win Rating Games or a fight."

"…"

"Don't think I'm here because of how you defeated Raiser," Ruval continued, rubbing his neck. "A shame he was getting prideful at being a Phenex. No, don't take it wrong, being proud of being your own family isn't bad, in fact, I admire those people—but there are limits. My young brother, unfortunately, crossed that line. Hopefully, this fight will prove him that we cannot be compared to the real immortal birds…"

"He isn't the only one who crossed the line," muttered Bedeze as he shot a knowing glare at Danhauser.

Danhauser still remained quiet.

"We're here for a different reason," a sigh blew from Ruval's mouth. "The way you ended the match."

"Shit," Tobio cursed quietly. "I knew it was a _baaad_ idea..."

Jin whimpered softly.

"A little bird told us that that was supposed to be a message, for us, the Top Ten." Ruval explained as he shook his head, hands in his pockets. "Honestly, do you even have the _slightest_ idea what you've done?"

"…"

Ruval looked at Diehauser from his shoulder. "Not a brat of many words, eh?" He dropped a joke before turning back to Danhauser, arms open wide. "Look around you, Danhauser. Look around. This place is where each generation earns a name in the Underworld. We, the Top Ten, are not the only ones whose dream is to become The Second Champion of the Rating Games. The _past, present_ and _future_ generation are also fighting to sit on that old, dusty throne, we're just the closest and strongest amongst Ars Goetia. Each one of us carrying the _strength_ of a Satan-Class Devil..."

The Champion almost took a step forward, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Looking behind he saw his uncle, Malacoda, shaking his head.

"Let him handle this," the black-haired devil susurrated. "Your brother is old enough to take care of himself."

The Emperor pursed his mouth and looked back at his little brother, fists balled.

At last, the Heir of Phenex lowered his arms. "Do you understand how _insignificant_ you are to stand against us? Do you _understand_ the multitude you have to fight against?

…

Danhauser watched them without turning his head, his heart is hammering but he kept his stoic face with no hint of fear. The tide changed, not in his favor at least.

He finally broke stares, clenching and unclenching his hands into fists. Rolling his shoulder's forward, he looked back at Ruval's ocean, blue eyes. Fear bubbled up in his chest, but he can't let it show.

"I understand..." Danhauser said after a pregnant silence. "But ... It's been years since the creation of the Rating Games. Did anyone literally carry out anything at all?"

"..." This time, Ruval stayed quiet and listened.

"All of you defeated anyone who dared to steal your place. I always hear that the Top Ten are said to be Ultimate-Class Devils among Ultimate-Class Devils and have power equal to the current Satans, thus to be unmovable..."

It was now or never.

Danhauser smiled defiantly. "I'll break that cycle!"

Diehauser's heart stopped for a second. "Wait..."

"…What?" Ruval's eyebrow curved in surprise.

"Did I stutter, Ruval?" Danhauser sharply asked. "You heard me! I'll challenge the Ars Goetia for the title of the Second Emperor!"

...

"He… he said it!" stuttered a Devil.

"Does this brat understand the meaning of screaming that?!"

"He… he declared war on the 72 Pillars!"

The multitude of voices from young and old alike increased, the sea of people were so loud that it made Danhauser's skin tingle and his ears ringed, almost turning him deaf.

Sairaorg and Misla smiled.

"Heh-heh-heh!" Bova laughed with mirth. "That's why I joined your Peerage, Boss Hauser! Big stuff! BIG STUFF!"

"Well, damn," Tobio gulped the lump in his throat. "This… this isn't going to end well, right?"

Jin barked in agreement!

"Doesn't matter," Siegfried responded calmly. "This is our King's wish, we'll support him."

"Oh well," Tobio shrugged. "Guess we'll fight a whole capital."

Valerie watched with hidden awe her surroundings and then stole a side-glance at the gray-haired Devil "This was definitely _not_ exactly what I had envisioned the entire time." She quietly said to herself, smiling blandly. "What a tragically humorous twist of events..."

Before Ruval could even blink, Bedeze shoved him harshly aside. "Are-are you out of your mind?!" The third ranker screamed at him, veins popping from his face. "Don't think you'll be able to win having the Ars Goetia as your archenemy!"

"YOU WANNA BET?!" Danhauser shot back, startling slightly Bedeze. "Nothing will ever stop me from stealing my place in the throne, not even Diehauser!"

Malacoda grinned like a Cheshire cat.

Instantly Bedeze regained his professional posture. "You…!" He stopped when someone moved beside him. He scowled. "What now, Rudiger?"

Upsetting Sorcerer ignored him. "Is it your boldness or ignorance that causes you to declare such thing to the Ars Goetia, Prince Danhauser?"

"None of them!" The Heir firmly declared. "It's my ambition!"

Rudiger's mouth twitched and Danhauser was pretty sure he was fighting a smile. "I see."

Bedeze, however, didn't lower his guns. "You're crazy... Your opponents are the whole _72 Pillars_ now! It's damn evident—you should give up your dream rather than facing humiliation! IT SHOULD BE _CHILD'S PLAY_ TO ABANDON YOUR AMBITION, RIGHT?!"

"But I can't look back," Danhauser dismissed. "Not anymore. I can only move forward and try to claim that title for myself. And I have to keep on getting stronger because my dream is to become the second Emperor. From the day I was brought back, I've been training. Hell chose me to live as its next champion."

Roygun turned to Diehauser and stopped whatever she was going to say, giggling quietly at the sight. "Oh dear..."

Throughout the discussion, the corners of Diehauser's mouth lift up into a genuine smile. He let his smile widen into a brilliant, shaky grin. He's laughing now, feeling absolutely delirious.

"Holy shit, you're actually laughing," Malacoda said with worry. "I think I'm scared."

Ruval and Tannin nodded in agreement.

Diehauser just waved his hand in the air, signaling his apology. "… What a strong will. I haven't seen anything like yours in a while, Dan."

Danhauser frowned suspiciously. "… You're saying it because I'm your brother, right?"

"Not at all. I mean it." Diehauser said, his lips still curved upwards. "I already want to fight you seriously, but it's too early for you to fight us." His smile quickly faded. "My name is Diehauser Belial! Learn to become a Devil! Learn to become a King! And become strong for the upcoming Young Devils Gathering! Doesn't matter how many years it takes, I will hold this title of the Champion and wait for you. Try to surpass me, Danhauser Belial!"

Danhauser couldn't stall the happiness molding on his face. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," said the first-ranker. "You have the Ars Goetia as your enemy now, let's see how you handle it. Good luck."

Ruval sighed, hands in his waist. "Welp, everything's solved and chit-chat's over. Time to go back, I guess."

"On it," Bedeze crankily muttered as he formed a portal. He shot a sharp, warning gaze at Danhauser. "Later, adversary."

"You know what to do, darling," Roygun called out. "Remember this moment of us as a stepping stone and move forward."

"I will," vowed Danhauser, scoring a wink from her.

Tannin, who was quiet during the confrontation, snorted a puff of smoke. "This is war, then."

"So it seems!" The Heir of Phenex grinned and snapped his fingers, while it was a quick motion, Danhauser caught a glimpse of his flames. They were _blue_. "When your family visited father's territory, we never talked, right? As heirs of our respective houses, we should know each other better, yeah?"

The Heir of Belial slowly nodded. "Of course," he then pursed his lips. "I'm sorry about Raiser and Ravel."

The blond-haired just laughed profoundly. "Don't think about it! Just make sure to keep an eye out for my little hummingbird from now on, alright? Goodbye."

Danhauser just nodded and quickly gazed at the seventh-ranker. "Sorry about everything."

"… Best wishes, Prince Danhauser."

Nothing else to add, each ranker entered inside Bedeze's portal with the exception of the fourth-ranker.

"Well, well!" Malacoda whistled at Danhauser. "Now you better keep your promises and kick our asses in the future! It'll be disappointing if you failed!"

"I'll do my best, uncle," the heir watched how the crowd slowly disperse, few of them glared or showed signs of fear.

Malacoda chuckled. "You better be brat…" He trailed off, eyebrow furrowed. "By the way, what's up with the 'Dan the Man' thing?"

Danhauser's heart skipped a beat.

Malacoda scratched his ear. "Your mother won't stop laughing about that when I talked to her on the phone, it started on your school I suppose."

Danhauser stayed quiet.

Sairaorg openly snorted. "Dan the Man?" He repeated, holding back a snicker. "Seriously, someone from the school came up with that terrible nickname? It sounds plain dumb."

"Yeah…" Danhauser mumbled. "Who would come up with that…?"

Valerie suspiciously narrowed her eyes at him. "You wouldn't come up with that awful—!"

"Of course not." He quickly interrupted her.

She blinked and grinned. "My, my. You _really_ did. Ehehehehe…"

Misla's features softened. "Oh dear," she said after seeing his shoulders slumping. "Everything is alright, sweetie. Everyone makes horrible mistakes."

"What's wrong with that?" Bova folded his arms, scowling in confusion. "I think it sounds cool. Plus it fits him."

"I know right?!" Malacoda gave a thumbs-up to his nephew. "Ignore them, they're just jealous!"

"Right _._ You caught them red-handed, uncle," Danhauser rolled his eyes. "I bet Valerie is so _damn_ jealous for not being as _macho_ as _Dan the Man_..."

"Ehehehehe…" The Romanian giggled behind her hand. "Correct. I'm burning with pure _jealousy_ right now, wish I could lift weights as you do."

"It… has a nice ring to it… " Out of nowhere, Tobio grinned encouragingly. "But I think it'll be better if you go with… _Manhauser._ "

Danhauser stepped on his feet.

Slash Dog gasped. "Fucking hell!" He furiously massaged his aching toes. "It was just a fucking joke!" He bit his tongue to hold back the curses, glaring daggers at the culprit.

Danhauser took a deep breath and relaxed. "Sorry, my true-self slipped out for a second."

Siegfried just sighed.

Valerie smirked.

"Shaahahaha!" Malacoda ruffled Danhauser and Tobio's hair simultaneously. "You guys are getting along just fine! Good to know!" He pointed at the exit. "Alright, since Diehauser's already there watching the other matches, I'll teleport you brats back to the manor, sounds good?"

"Are you not going to stay?" Danhauser frowned. "You're the fourth-ranker, after all."

"I'll just throw you brats there, talk with sis and return," Malacoda explained, clapping hurriedly. "Now, move your asses!"

"If you say so…" Danhauser prepared himself to leave but quickly turned to Sairaorg. "Good to see you again, Sairaorg."

The Heir of Bael stared for a while. "… Is it true?" He said. "You'll challenge Ars Goetia to become the second champion?"

"Yes."

Sairaorg chuckled and folded his arms. "Then I'll make sure to give you hell when the time comes."

"I mean, you could always try," Danhauser winked at Sairaorg.

"Also!" Misla chimed in. "We would love if you and your family could visit us! I'll treat you properly!"

Danhauser couldn't say no to someone full of optimism like her. "We'd love to."

"Great, I look forward fighting you," Sairaorg raised a hand with a playful smirk. "Later, Dan the Man."

Danhauser grunted as he brushed Sairaorg's hand aside. "Get handzoned."

Sairaorg looked at his rejected handshake and cheerfully laughed to himself, leaving with a content Misla.

As both son and mother started to leave, Danhauser felt a magic sigil under his feet. "Get ready!" His uncle called out before departing back to the manor with his Peerage.

* * *

 **Chances of you guys caring about Danhauser's ambition is relatively low, but Dan's adventures won't end until he defeats Diehauser on a Rating Game. I promise. And the only way to obtain his dream, is becoming strong physically and mentally.  
**

 **Yes, he'll fight the Top Ten in the future. If you prefer to skip it whenever I put the chapter, then its fine. I'll still put the RG. If I didn't, I'd just be insulting my fanfic and Danhauser's dreams.**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Your Eminence, The Holy Saint.**


	22. Your Eminence, The Holy Saint

**Chapter 22: Your Eminence, The Holy Saint.**

* * *

In the middle of the dark forest stood a foreign girl, a look full of regret fixated on the fresh, slashed corpses lying on the moist grass.

It couldn't be denied. She was a bewitchingly beautiful and attractive girl, who possessed pure and cool characteristics that were a rare sight on the Eastern side of the world. Her blonde hair along her white cloak danced to the rhythm of the breeze that made her clean skin tingle, an appearance that spelled Western Europe.

Her body was hidden by a black, skin-tight, short sleeve unitard, with matching gloves that extend to her elbow, thigh-high boots, and a crucifix around her neck, all of it worn under her white hooded cloak.

She was famous among those who follow the teachings of God, a member of the Vatican itself, and self-chosen to wander the territory of Japan for an important mission.

Everyone knows her as the Holy Saint.

The aura of sorrow that hugged her figure mismatched horribly with her beauty.

It was concerning.

The two holy swords in her grasp disintegrated in a bright, yellowish light as she bowed her head and folded her hands, murmuring a prayer.

Months. It took months to finally reach the Land of the Rising Sun through the assistance of a plane. Her very first flight.

It would have been sooner but trouble just kept coming. Funnily enough, most troubles came from Japan. The fact that months ago, a cruise ship from Japan that carried students to visit Hawaii disappeared magically. The news was global. To the point that all the church facilities were given the highest defense possible, just to make sure the orphan children are safe. They were scared and so was she.

Being fifteen years old, plus known as a famous and important figure through the corners of the Vatican, the poor girl couldn't leave without some bodyguards accompanying her travels. Even so, some powerful figures such as the Cardinal Deacon were against the idea, after knowing her destination. Luckily, the Cardinal Priest was coherent enough to convince the latter. Plus, he knew what she was plotting and he approved it.

The Saint knew there would be trouble by visiting another culture—she expected Youkai or even ninjas with orange jackets screaming 'Believe it' at the top of their lungs.

Stray Magicians were _not_ on the list.

They could be the people behind the kidnap of Ryuukou Academy's students. And to prove her statement right, she captured a few and took the role of good cop while one of her bodyguards took the bad cop without her permission, making the situation difficult for her and fearful for the Ozites.

While her reason for being in Japan wasn't exactly meant to save the students, she couldn't turn a blind eye to this scenario.

Unfortunately, the stray mages freed themselves and she was forced to slay them, much to her dismay.

After finishing her prayer, the Maiden peeked behind the shoulder as two figures approached her. While her welcoming smile was for them, her eyes aimed at the powerful holy sword over that man's hand. A weapon considered to be the sister of Excalibur and Arondight.

"Those were the last ones," said the owner of the holy sword, sheathing it with an exhausted sigh. "These people. Are you sure they're the ones behind the missing students, Saint Jeanne?"

The blonde spared a regretful glance at the corpses. "… I'm not really sure. We are low on clues to make assumptions."

The second figure with silver hair approached the bodies with a disturbing smile. "Hey, hey. Ms. Saint, think they are already swimming with the fishes ~?" He pulled out his gun and took aim. "Or maybe I should make sureeee ~? I think one or two magazines are good enough to—!"

Jeanne instinctively grabbed his forearm. "That's enough, Freed!" She ordered, getting a squeal from him. "We weren't supposed to kill them in the first place—I was going to send them to the Vatican!"

Freed Sellzen forcefully lowered his pistol. "Whoa, whoa! Kidding _just_ kidding! Ms. Saint!"

Jeanne kept her stern gaze. She learned from Vasco Strada to put anyone in a positive light, even to Devils and Fallen Angels, but no matter how much she tried with this one. Her thoughts always reminded her of his flaws rather than his virtues.

And she didn't want that. She knows he has a good side—she just needs to search deeper and know him better.

Lint Sellzen thinks so too.

Her glare softened lightly. "Don't do such things, Freed," she said quietly. "We're not here to cause harm to anyone. We're here to change the future for a better place, don't you want that?"

He fought back on rolling his red eyes, grumbling. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever's whatever…"

She offered a warm smile. "Then let's do our best," she gave a comforting squeeze before letting him go. "David, please, the map."

Before Freed could continue massaging his forearm, a sudden pain reached into his neck. "The hell?!" He glared up at the culprit. "Why would you slap me?!"

David Serro briefly sent a cold look before lending the rolled map to the Maiden. "All yours, Saint Jeanne."

She bit her lip at the epithet but said nothing as she extended the map and laid it across the ground. "According to the map, we're not so far away from Ryuukou Town…"

David crouched beside her. "Isn't that where trouble is occurring right now?" He said, rubbing his chin. "After all, the missing students originated from there…"

"Oui," she nodded, her finger tracing circles on another place. "Our main objective is reaching Kuoh Town, where Touji Shidou currently is living with his daughter."

The Holy Sword user clicked his tongue. "It's so far away." He pointed out. "Walking to Kuoh Town would take us weeks… that is if we don't take rests."

"Japan is well-known for its train stations," Jeanne reminded him. "We'll be using the available ones in Ryuukou Town and while we're there, search for clues."

"And shoot some heretic bastards?" Freed asked with a hopeful grin. "Cuz if that's so, then leave it to me!"

"No we won't," Jeanne shook her head, ignoring his vulgarity. "… We're going to solve things through talking… if everything goes wrong then we'll incapacitate them, but not kill them."

David hummed before standing up, standing beside a disappointed Freed. "Sounds like a plan."

"We can do this. I can count on you two." She smiled in return whilst rolling the map. "Let's get going."

They both saluted. [Yes, Saint Jeanne!]

"Please," Jeanne raised a hand to calm them. "Don't call me 'Saint,' just Jeanne."

[Yes, Saint Jeanne!]

She sighed in defeat.

* * *

Danhauser Belial sighed as he took a seat outside Sae Toujou's former house. Over the previous weekend, he had the time to think whenever he was honing his skills, doing some contracts with his new or usual clients, or visiting different places of the Belial Territory.

Speaking of the Belial Territory…

Thanks to the schooling of Gilles de Rais, he learned quite a few things about Ars Goetia in general. The Lords of each clan ruled vassals of land in the 72 Pillars. They manage things from economics, warfare, politics, etc. They are responsible for the people that they rule, aka the citizens within the territory. He wouldn't be surprised if this was similar in the Extra Demon Faction.

Normally, people always pictured the Lord or Lady just sitting in their manor scratching their ass and smelling their finger afterward. In reality, they had their own job to do. They administered their managers, manage accounts, plan ahead for the future of the territory, confer with other lords or ladies on local and regional matters—and most of all, raise money because they have to support the estate, make sure members of the Clan and their servants are making contracts to gain revenue, arm themselves—both personally, the Heir, and those fighters in his estate—said fighters would have done nothing but train and fight if there was trouble.

So on a given day, the Lord or Lady was every bit as busy as their vassals—the field workers, the stable hands, the herdsmen, the household worker, etcetera, _etcetera._

And most of all, they were beholden to the Great King Faction—aka Lord Bael—and their vassals (which was a better word than 'peasant') were to him, but it's rare to see Devils nowadays showing gratitude to their vassals, arrogance, and racism above all, after all.

Thankfully there are few Clans that showed respect to their vessels, one of them being the Gremory Clan. They are beings with extraordinary affection among the Devils.

Sure, such Clans as the Astaroth, Belial, Sitri, and Phenex also bathed their vessels in kindness, though less immense compared to the crimson-haired ones.

The role of a Lord or Lady was difficult and exhausting, just like those of a vessel. Unfortunately, Diehauser Belial also has an important role in the Capital of Ars Goetia—Lilith. He was the Head Senator and needed to update or set new rules for the remaining 72 Pillars to keep everything at bay. Luckily, their mother, Calcabrina Belial aka Lady Belial was the one who took care of their estate with the assistance of Gilles and Cleria Belial's mother, Calfa Belial, while Diehauser worked with the other senators.

Interesting enough, the House of Belial was offered the job to be involved in politics, Matanbuchus Belial—his father was the one to accept the employment almost eagerly before the latter left the estate to work in the City of Dis under Regent-Lord Lucifuge. In truth, eons back, the Belial Clan was not involved in politics when the war of the Three Factions and the Civil War of the old government were a thing.

The Heir asked about the background of the Clan, but no one in the family answered.

As he leaned deeper into his seat and closed his eyes, a hand softly squeezed his shoulder to catch his attention. "My, sleeping in the middle of the day?" The girl teased. "Is there not a single day that we don't find you sleeping or training?"

He stretched an eye open. "Lavinia," Danhauser said by way of greeting, shifting properly and pushing the other chair out for her.

Lavinia Reni gave a grateful smile and sat beside him, both enjoying the clouds in a comfortable silence. He noted she had a drink between her hands.

…

…

…

"So…" Danhauser trailed off, looking anywhere but her.

"So...?" She amusingly replied.

"How's Mephisto?" He said after a moment of awkwardness. "I hope he finally has a hold of himself."

Her expression lightened. "He's great now," She said somewhat excitedly. "Especially after watching your Rating Game... and the aftermath of it. Pops had the biggest grin at your conviction. He looked adorable."

Danhauser flushed slightly. "Did that really transmit across the Underworld?"

"Totally," Lavinia nodded, taking a sip. "You challenging the Top Ten did surprise most spectators, including myself."

That's when his eyebrow twitched irritably. "Well, I'm _sooo_ relieved that the Underworld's media hid my identity very well, it's not like I'm fighting terrorists on a daily basis, am I right?"

"You shouldn't worry too much about that now," Lavinia waved off his sarcasm. "As much as it pains me to say so. They already know about us." Her smile became assuring. "But thankfully, we have each other to watch our backs from now on."

He looked away from her sapphire-blue eyes. "I know, I know but still…"

"Where's your Peerage?" Lavinia asked as she searched around.

"Contracts," he responded briefly. "Valerie's sleeping in the house."

Lavinia took another sip. "Ah yes, I've seen Valerie walking around the house, I was just concerned about the members of your Peerage. Glad everything's normal with your group."

The two stayed quiet for a while and enjoyed the birds chirping in the trees.

…

"Do you mind if I ask you something?" Danhauser suddenly said.

A warm, approachable smile spread across her lips. Lavinia sets her drink down and gives him her full, undivided attention. "Of course, Danhauser, you can talk to me about anything."

"You were part of the Wizards of Oz?"

Danhauser has to admit, she reacted quickly by breaking stares, but he did notice her troubled gaze right in time. "Judging by your expression, I'll take that as a yes."

Lavinia bit her lip and brushed a lock of blonde hair away from her temple. "How-how did you…?"

"Augusta," he interrupted her. "Before the fight, she did say something about you being a traitor and Walburga seemed to know you very well."

…

…

…

Lavinia exhaled inwardly. "Yes. I was an Ozite." She carefully admitted, tipping her witch's hat to obscure her face. "… I was from the first generation of Ozites. Meanwhile, Walburga is from the second one, when Augusta took charge."

"What's with the face?" Danhauser leaned over, resting his elbows on the table. "If you think that I have a grudge against you from being part of their association, then stop worrying. You're no longer an _Ozite_ , you're a _Faustus_ now, remember?"

She rubbed her arm and shot him a cautious gaze. "… You promise?"

The Heir smiled and wiggled his second, smallest finger. "Best I can do is a pinky promise."

Lavinia visibly sighed with relief, pressing a hand to her chest. "Sorry, sorry. It's just that in Grauzauberer a few suspect that I'm a long time spy. It would hurt if you also…"

His smile fell slightly. "Just ignore them," he sheathed his pinky finger. "They're not worth a thought."

She picked up her glass of water, swirling it. "Doing my best."

"That's why you're here?" Danhauser asked, arms folded. "To clean the name of Wizards of Oz before its downfall?"

"Yes and no," Lavinia cleared her throat and took a swig of water. "Pops chose me specifically because of all the students, I'm the one with the most knowledge about them… Now, I could've just refused and not participate on this, but… I couldn't waste such opportunity to possibly meet her after years…."

"Meet who?"

"My Mater," She trailed off, passing a finger through her hat. "The woman who took me under her wings when I was young. The Witch of the South, Glinda the Good Witch."

"If I'm not wrong, Glinda is the strongest of them?" He said, humming. "While my memory is kind of fuzzy about the book of Oz, that's what I remember about her... and other stuff, such as the main characters."

"Correct," the Faustus nodded. "Unlike the other witches, there isn't a bad bone in her body."

"You have a high view of her," Danhauser pointed out. "Was she really that amazing?"

"Without a doubt," She snapped her finger and pulled out a gallery of images and lets him see a few. "I have some pictures I can show you if you'd like."

The one Danhauser focused on looked like a happy family outing by the streets. The first one was the bewitchingly beautiful woman that has very long, light-blonde hair with a curl hanging down the right side of her face with bright green eyes along with a little girl with sapphire, blue eyes sitting atop her legal guardian, both wearing witches' attire.

The girl looked perhaps eight years old—he thought. Until he noted the picture is dated to over seven years ago, most likely she was still part of the Ozites back then.

"It'd be wonderful if you could meet her. I bet Glinda and you would get along just fine."

He smiled dotingly. "I'm curious, who's the little, beautiful angel?"

"A-Ah!" A blush spreads across her cheeks and she stole the photograph from his hands. "Y-you saw nothing." She stammered whilst magically storing the gallery away.

Danhauser chuckled when the Faustus shyly tipped her hat and rapidly gulped half of her glass, attempting to disguise her burning face.

He dubiously patted her back a few times. "There, there." He awkwardly said, adding. "Say, what can you tell me about yourself?" He asked, changing the subject.

Thankful for the new topic, Lavinia placed her empty drink down and smiled, appreciative of his interest. "Well," she started. "I was a nine-year-old orphan that never knew the name or appearance of my parents or even knew if I had a brother or a sister. Later on, Glinda found me and turned me into her disciple for four years, during that time I was learning about magic and my Sacred Gear, my Longinus. Thanks to her I also learned my new favorite hobby, which is painting. At the age of thirteen, I was transferred to Grauzauberer as part of an interchange program, in order to be with magic-users of my age." She finished her statement, content that she covered all the basics.

"We better hope she isn't part of the stray magicians," Danhauser muttered. "I mean, not trying to make her look bad, but… you said she was the first in command of the Ozites. Augusta took her role later on."

"That's why I accepted this mission, to know of her whereabouts," Lavinia said, eyes downcast. "It's been years since I've heard from her, let alone talked to her. Glinda's status is even unknown by Pops, but she wouldn't dare to hurt the innocent, we both know that."

The heir watched the blonde carefully wearing off her hat and hugged it. "This hat belonged to Glinda, this was the last gift I received from her before she left."

"It must mean a lot to you." Danhauser softly said.

"It does," the Magician confirmed. "… Even so, I don't plan on keeping it forever."

Danhauser curved an eyebrow and let her carry on.

"'Give it back when you become a great mage.'" Lavinia quoted. "Those were her last wishes before leaving. I, from the very beginning, valued the hat very dearly and vowed to return it to Glinda so that she can appreciate that I became a strong mage." She adjusted the hat around her head and sighed. "… For that, I need to graduate and establish my Magician Association."

"But to get students you need to be a great Magician," Danhauser stated, getting a weak nod from her. "Don't worry, you'll become one soon. I'm sure you will."

She brightened up at that. "Why thank you, Second Emperor."

After that, a familiar figure with white, mechanical wings descended from the sky in front of the two, surprising them.

"Va!" Lavinia immediately beckoned to move closer. "Perfect timing! Why don't you join us? We may not have another chair, but I can share my seat with you!"

While Vali Lucifer seemed to ignore her invitation, the pink on his cheeks gave a distinct perspective. He pushed aside his embarrassment and pointed at the other Devil. "Stand up, let's fight."

"I'm happy to see you too," Danhauser's reply dripped with sarcasm, not inching from his seat. "Can I at least know why you're so pumped up?"

Vali just took a stance as the plush dragon over his shoulder, opened its mouth. **[He watched the Rating Game and your declaration.]**

Lavinia gasped slightly on her hand. "Oh no…"

 **[Eh, sorry, brat. Tried to stop him, but he was quicker. Good luck!]** There was a long pause. **[Oh, by the way! Nice match!]**

After that, Azazel left.

"Get up," Vali said. Actually no, he demanded it. "You want to become the Second Emperor, right? Then prove yourself worthy by fighting the White Dragon Emperor. And I want to fight you, right here, right now."

"…" Danhauser felt his heart-rate pickup. This situation had turned somewhat hostile. "I know you're a battle-maniac, but why we just don't settle this with a game of cards? That way Lavinia can have fun too."

He saw it coming. You didn't have to be a clairvoyant to predict Vali's next move. Lucky him, Danhauser easily blocked his attack, but the force behind the hybrid's punch sent him whipping away along with his seat.

Throughout his awkward propelling in the air, the heir heard the surprised yelp of Lavinia while he invoked his spear and stabbed it into the ground, dirt and pebbles chucked out in places as he clutched on his weapon just to decrease the speed.

"Well then," Danhauser grunted and moved aside just to evade a flying kick coming from the Longinus User, he watched how Vali leaped at him with a glint in his eyes that blared excitement. _"Guess we can't sit and enjoy the sunlight like intellectuals. So unfortunate."_

His response was when Albion's voice came from the Divine Dividing and stole some of Danhauser's powers, much to his chagrin. He ducked a strong punch coming from Azazel's surrogate son and parried the three upcoming kicks. He was almost surprised of himself. The fact that he could fight toe-to-toe against the actual and strongest Hakuryuukou drowned his chest with some pride. Even so, Vali wasn't using his Scale Mail to fight Danhauser. Strategically speaking, it could mean three things. One: as a Lucifer, his sin is showing off. Two: he hasn't mastered Balance Breaker to keep it for so long and is saving it in case of emergency.

Or option three: Both, previous statements are correct.

Nonetheless, he'll take advantage of this.

 **[Divide!]**

Danhauser winced and dropped his spear, catching the punch of Vali whilst rendering his opponent worthless, enough for Divine Dividing stop working. Pulling him closer, he returned the gesture by smashing his cheek, the results were obvious, the silver-haired was forced to recoil away.

 _"Let's end this,"_ the heir took aim at the ground and fired a basic spell with enough power to summon a cloud of dirt, blinding his opponent and the quiet spectator.

He wasn't done, though. Shutting his eyes and taking serene, deep breaths, he activated Senjutsu's amplified vision and easily spotted behind the cloud the life-force of Vali and Lavinia. He smiled when the hybrid blindly dashed forward, using the cloud of dirt as a cover.

 _"Walking into my trap I see,"_ Danhauser snapped his fingers and from the sculped magical circle rushed a limb of resin big enough to encase Vali's body and lift him up.

The gray-haired looked up when someone grunted and growled upwards. He held back a chuckle after spotting the situation Vali was put through.

The White Dragon gritted his teeth and tried to move his body, only his neck replied. He was immobilized by the Malebranche Trait. He tried to use Divine Dividing, but his Sacred Gear never responded back, cursed by the Belial Trait.

"You…" Vali tried to speak, but it was difficult. "… You combined both Clan powers, didn't you?"

Danhauser ignored him. "Give up. The match is over."

Vali just glared.

Danhauser in return calmly closed his hand, his limb of resin copying his movements thus crushing Vali's body in return.

Thanks, Gaara.

The hybrid fought back a scream when his ribs and organs began to feel the pressure. Seeing no progress, Vali cursed. "D-dammit! Balance Breaker!"

 **[Vanishing Dragon Balance Breaker!]**

"Oh my nipples," Danhauser saw the limb of resin explode and lashed around drops of it, but he stood still. Fun fact, the armor of Vali is strong enough to surpass the power of the Belial Trait, which is something he expected, after all, Scale Mail not only increases the power to divide, it also gives a boost to his defense, speed, and power. Still, this isn't the Vali who could maintain his Balance Breaker for at least one month like the one in DxD does. This Vali is weaker compared to the one in canon. The descendant of Lucifer could only wear that armor for at least minutes.

That was still a lot of time.

But Danhauser knows him from reading the Light Novels. Vali and Hyoudou Issei have something in common, they're Power-Type. All of their strength comes from their clutch-use of their Sacred Gears, once you take it out of the picture, they're defenseless. Nothing against them, they're good people, but that's how he saw it.

He also never read of Vali using demonic powers. Sure, it's immense as it favored him when he entered Juggernaut Drive and saved his life from the poison of Samael later on, but using it in combat? He poured his skills into his Longinus. Danhauser believes that while he doesn't have massive demonic power like the silver-haired boy does, he at least has a better grasp of it.

And soon, he'll also have immense demonic energy _AND_ Touki—he made a vow after all.

After undergoing Scale Mail Mode, Vali charged straight towards Danhauser, and the aftermath of that caused the air to distort and bump into Lavinia, thankfully nothing happened to her. He thrust his demonic-coated fists across. Danhauser simply jumped back and escaped from the attack but Vali's fist which had pierced through nothing but the empty air caused the place where the heir stood to crack.

Danhauser's eyes widened when Hakuryuukou appeared right in front of him. he just braced himself and caught it with his forearm the physical force sent him skating away.

 **[Divide!] [Divide!]**

Danhauser kept his feet nailed on the ground and continue to slide as if he was in an ice rink, ignoring the creak on his arm. Quickly regaining his composure, Vali locked distance and threw punches and kicks at him at close range whilst moving at a jaw-dropping speed that Danhauser could match decently, much to his shock. The hybrid didn't hear any grunts or hisses from his opponent, but unlike before, his foe no longer had any breathing room to spare. His attire was badly torn up during his attempts to evade, and even his spear became deformed. Sure, Danhauser also successfully countered and returned them, but Vali's armor did a great job in terms of protection. Both knew that Danhauser wasn't winning in this exchange.

The heir clicked his tongue and built some distance whilst invoking four magic circles and from them stretched limbs hunted toward the Longinus User who tried to give a chase.

 **[Divide!] [Divide!] [Divide!]**

Danhauser grimaced but smirked a little. Vali dividing his powers were part of his plans. "There has to be a limit," he stubbornly continued firing limbs of resin to either pin a kick or a punch his foe's body. Bullets of demonic power materialized from different directions. Vali was too fast, especially when he was in his Balance Breaker, it was difficult to change the course of his resin and follow the Hakuryuukou properly, but at least they gave Danhauser time to stay far away from Vali's reach. Of course, they'd disappeared by the powers of the [Divide] whenever Vali grew annoyed.

Luckily, he would capture him with his resin, freezing him for a brief second before he used his Sacred Gear's abilities.

It weakened Danhauser's storage of demonic energy, but it was the only solution.

As Vali practically teleported in front of him, he had on his hands a sphere of demonic energy ready to slam it in his face, Danhauser obviously dodged it. He instinctively countered with a fist of resin, but the Malebranche Trait melted when Vali divided Danhauser's powers two times.

 _"Yeah, you keep doing that,"_ Danhauser took a deep breath as he intercepted a kick with the base of his spear, promptly stabbing Vali. The White Dragon darted aside, and it just misses.

Again, Danhauser hastily jumped away and used different techniques with his Malebranche Trait to irk Vali, succeeding after grabbing him by the legs and harshly yanking him down, his descent shaped cracks beneath him.

Vali reached to tear the viscous liquid out, but more resin sprouted beside him and wrapped themselves around his wrists, slamming his hands on the floor, binding him.

He forcefully looked up when demonic circles were conjured above him and immediately bullets of demonic energy rained down at him. He gritted his teeth and felt his armor bending so slightly.

 **[Divide!] [Divide!] [Divide!]**

Danhauser saw his creation disappear from reality, quickly fixating his focus over Vali who unsteadily stood up. Ten seconds passed and his progress bore fruits when Vali fell on a knee and his helmet vanished just to cough a mouthful of blood.

 _"There it is!"_ Danhauser cringed at the sight. _"He reached his limits."_ He knew that would happen. It's like the Boosted Gear—continuous use of the Divide Dividing will drain the wielder's stamina to a significant degree. Sure, unlike the gauntlet, the excess energy is expelled out through the wings, but it takes time to release the leftovers from the energy feathers, that's why Danhauser mercilessly attacked Vali, just to oblige the latter to repeatedly use divide.

 _"Now!"_ Danhauser took aim with his spear and fired whilst rushing at his immobile foe with an attack wrapped in Senjutsu.

The White Dragon immediately rose up and slapped the weapon away, and used his own fist to defend against the swing and, regardless of his weakened state, Vali still proved to be a tough opponent, when he successfully resisted the pain passing through his veins. Despite the pain, the hybrid gave Danhauser a confident smirk, but it soon disappeared when his clenched fingers singed beneath Danhauser's Senjutsu.

Vali recoiled and fought a cry of pain, he grabbed his wrist. "What?" He glared daggers at Danhauser. "What did you…?"

"… Senjutsu." Vali heard Lavinia whisper from the background. "Amazing. Since when did he have it?"

"Is that so…" he ogled the bluish-white flames licking Danhauser's hands, grinning slightly. "That explains the weird flames. What do they do?"

The Heir never responded, his knuckles found Vali's face and he was dropped to the floor. Just for that, Vali understood it was impossible to make him talk and gave up. He merely rushed back at Danhauser and tried to land another jab, just for the Devil to parry it with his knuckles engulfed with Senjutsu. Again, a bolt of pain passed through Vali's system.

It hurt. A lot. It was like getting electrified and burned at the same time.

Danhauser knew why he was prevailing. He wasn't dealing damage to his body, Sage Arts doesn't do that. He was _severing_ the _life-force_ of Vali—the armor could only save him from physical damage and magic, not spiritual energy that goes after his spirit and not his skin. There are very few ways to defend against ki attacks. Danhauser read it multiple times before he meditated. The only way to not get hurt is by defensive spells or by another proficient Senjutsu User.

It was similar to a Grim Reapers' scythe, yet so different. The scythes don't inflict any external wounds, but instead, they slash the souls and shorten the lives with a unique curse. Something akin to Senjutsu, without the shortening lives and curses stuff.

When two opponents wielding Senjutsu clash, the one with the stronger Senjutsu is more likely to be victorious. This can make it difficult to overcome an opponent's ki in a brute force battle.

If Vali learned Sage Arts and was better than Danhauser, he'd be the one crushing him.

There was blood on his knuckles, a bruise above his right eye and his attire was ruined, but Danhauser's adrenaline made sure to patch that up. He just continued attacking Vali, starting with a fist that slammed into Vali's armored stomach while he slumped by the impact. Danhauser retrieved his fist and saw the dent he had made when he had jabbed him.

Even after feeling his organs threatening to evacuate from his throat, Vali laughed it off and excitedly charged on—Danhauser dodged and blocked his punches and via magic circle, a fist of resin came out.

For a brief instant, Vali's hazel eyes widened before the fist connected with his face. Stars burst into his vision but he shook it off, blindly throwing a sloppy kick.

Danhauser stepped back, easily evading the kick. He threw his body weight behind the fist engulfed with ki that edged closer to Vali's nose, changing direction at the last minute to swing his jaw with such force blood and drool threatened to spill from his mouth. He made sure to hold him down with his resin and continued the battering until the hybrid fell to the floor. His chest gently rose and sank with each shallow breath he drew in.

"…" Danhauser watched how the armor disappeared along with the wings. He slid his arm across his forehead, cleaning it from the accumulated sweat and blood.

The Heir heard footsteps quickly nearing, looking past his broad shoulder he saw Lavinia rushing at Vali with a troubled look. It didn't suit her.

The Faustus dropped to her knees and beside the defeated hybrid. She, however, never had the chance to speak as Vali rose unsteadily to his feet. "We-we're not done yet!" He throated out, limping like a zombie at his foe.

"Sure we are," Danhauser shot back, concerned. "You can't even walk, just take a rest."

Vali ignored both Lavinia and him as he shakily moved after him.

Danhauser acted quickly and stepped forward. "Come on…" softly pushing him into the ground, the mage laid her hands on Vali's shoulders, carefully pinning him. "Don't be stupid, Vali. It's over."

The silver-haired boy became silent, hair obscuring his orbs—they only listened to his low breathing. "So, I lost, huh?"

Danhauser bit his tongue at the lack emotion. "It was a great fight." He said after a tensed silence. "I enjoyed it."

"You did great, Va." Lavinia squeezed his shoulders in comfort. "Both of you."

…

Vali's shoulders furiously trembled before laughing to the skies. "This is amusing!" He said between snickers, ignoring his swelled muscles. "I can't believe it. I couldn't even defeat you in my Scale Mail."

Both Danhauser and Lavinia shared odd looks. "…Right." He carefully said. "How are you feeling?"

Soon as his chuckles died down, he looked up at him with a fearless and bloodied smirk. "Great." He then frowned. "If you know Senjutsu, why you didn't use it first rather than spamming your abilities when we were in close-quarters?"

Danhauser sighed and sat beside him, Lavinia following suit. "Two reasons actually," he raised a finger. "One: The element of surprise." He raised the second one. "Two: A user of Senjutsu can succumb to exhaustion if used for long periods of time as ki is proportional to the amount of spiritual life force an individual possesses. After the threshold is reached, the user will be unable to use it for a certain amount of time or fall unconscious or worse, fall into a coma."

Throughout the explanation, Vali had shifted on a cross-legged position and paid complete attention to the older Devil. He folded his arms, finally nodding. "Interesting."

"All in all, the more ki is used, the faster it will deplete," the blonde got a nod from Danhauser. "How do you know all this?"

Danhauser stood up, dusting his pants. "I read it in a book," he briefly explained, offering two hands with Lavinia gladly accepting the gesture.

After helping her up, he turned to Vali, hand outstretched. "Ready to go, Vali? Valerie's in the house, she can heal your—!"

"What's your dream, Danhauser Belial?" The question caught the gray-haired off-guard. "Let me hear it once again."

The heir hesitated, but in the end, he took a deep breath. "I'll become the Second Champion," he answered confidently. "I'll fight Ars Goetia if I have to."

The White Dragon smirked and grabbed Danhauser's hand, standing up. "I no longer...think that you're below my level."

…

"I…" Words left him. Danhauser could only stare into those bright hazel eyes burning with thrill. "…What?"

"I want to become the True White Dragon God Emperor…that is my final goal as the Hakuryuukou," Vali declared. "To do so, I have to defeat the Dragon of Dragons and my direct rival, the Sekiryuutei. When I accomplish my goal, would you be capable of defeating me again, Danhauser Belial?"

It took a while, but he pulled out of his shock. "That's a long ass nickname," he joked and regained his smile. "… but yes, I'll make sure you kiss my shoes when I'm done with you, Shota Dragon."

Vali excitedly laughed. "You are indeed amusing." He said. "From here on, let's fight for our dreams and fight eternally, Danhauser Belial."

* * *

"So, that's how everything happened?" Throughout the explanation, Valerie Tepes said nothing and her dark, red eyes glued to the Devil. She walked side-by-side with him on the streets at nightfall, just how the rest of the Peerage, Lavinia Reni and Vali Lucifer did so, but in different places but at the same time.

"Yep," the gray-haired one said, "Vali watched my Rating Game and the aftermath with Azazel, I tried to speak some sense to him, but he's a battle-maniac so..."

"Fair enough," Valerie replied, rather bluntly as she gazed at the stars in the dark sky. She knew how to mask her expression perfectly, but when she saw a ravished White Dragon Emperor, she couldn't help but at least stretch her eyes slightly. Her eyes had turned into dishes when she found out that Danhauser was the one behind this.

"Well, you have my congratulations on your victorious duel."

"Uh? Yeah, thanks."

…

…

The travel became quiet now. Danhauser struggled, fishing an interesting topic for her but failed. She didn't mind the silence, her interest wasn't the small chit-chats or the endless dark sky, or its billions of stars spread everywhere or even the building surrounding them, none of that captivated her. But the awkward, training-maniac heir of Belial did.

She zipped her mouth, merely fixating her eyes on the side of his head, at the knife-shaped ears that somehow matched his facial structure, attempting to see deeper into his soul and find her answer.

"Is something wrong, Valerie?"

She chuckled dryly. "Mr. Belial," she spoke without looking away. Time to put him in a test. "May I know your progress?"

Danhauser lifted his eyebrow, turning quiet for a while before clashing gazes. "About Gasper?"

A faint, sardonic smirk spread across her face. "Well, would you look at that? You _do_ remember."

"Of course I remember," Danhauser huffed lightly. "Why would I forget it?"

She shrugged. "Never heard of you speaking about it, for a second I thought you gave up, I wouldn't be shocked if that was the case."

"I wanted to make it look like a surprise."

"Oh really?" Her smirk became a full-blown grin. "Oh my, now I'm practically _purring_ like a cat in anticipation."

"You still don't believe I'll find him, right?" Danhauser sighed.

"What makes you believe that, Mr. Belial?"

Danhauser never replied but smiled slightly.

"Did I miss a joke? What's so funny?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Don't mind me. Just picturing your face when the day comes."

"If you speculate that I'll shed some tears then forget it." She dismissed his illusions. "I don't cry. My tear ducts have been unused since the day I was born."

"We both know that's a lie." Danhauser countered.

She finally averted her gaze. "I'll let you off the hook... for now. You should be grateful, Ehehehehe…"

 _"Changing the subject, eh?"_ He decided to humor her. "Thank Maou—I can finally rest easy tonight."

She giggled again.

After spending time with him, she learned a few things about the Devil. He's terrible at _socializing._ The fact that his mouth opened to begin a talk, just to shake his head and look away was a nod to her statement. It didn't matter—it was amusing seeing him strive for words. Sure, he was getting slightly better when it was about talking. His interaction with new faces was brief and professional, limited only to tactical input and vital information about missions if they were allies. He wasn't fond of small talks.

Her train of thoughts halted when a strong and warm grasp reached her shoulder, almost giving her a heart attack.

When her heartbeat finished hammering her ears, she glared at the Devil, and to her surprise, Danhauser has his eyes closed with a faint, bluish-white aura surrounding them. She knew it was Senjutsu after his previous explanation, those weren't good news.

"Where are they?" Her eyes suspiciously wandered around. "I'm afraid I don't see anyone."

He finally opened his eyes and the glow dispersed from them. "I do," he said, pulling out his spear and invoking multiple demonic circles, all aiming at an alleyway. "You three should've spent more points in stealth. Show yourself."

After blasting a deadpan stare at his direction, Valerie followed his gaze and lo and behold, three white-hooded figures walked out of their hiding spot, hands raised in the air. One of them cursed with his vulgar tongue.

"Exorcists," she whispered after recognizing the crosses on their necks. "What are they doing here?"

…

…

…

She furrowed her brows and turned to her partner. "Mr. Belial?" Seeing no reaction from him, she shook his arm. "Not the time to display your awkwardness…!"

"U-uh?" He blinked away his worries and faced the beauty. "Sorry, sorry. What did you say?"

Her frown morphed into a suspicious scowl. "Any ideas for their unexpected visit?"

"L-Let's find out," he whispered back to her before harrumphing. "What's your business in Ryuukou Town? I doubt Exorcists are here to learn about eastern culture."

The one in the middle took a bold step forward. "Please, we're not here to fight, there's no need for bloodshed." It was a girl with a French accent. "We're just taking this route to cut corners and investigate the strange anomalies that happen in this town, we promise we're not here to cause any harm."

"As long as you're not the one behind this, that is," the tallest of the group murmured.

"Is she talking about the Agency and Stray Magicians?" muttered the Dhampir.

"Definitely," Danhauser hushed, addressing the exorcists. "Cut corners you say, where if I must ask?"

He had an idea.

"Confidential," the taller exorcist professionally replied.

"Oh?" The Dhamphir chuckled darkly. "I doubt you're in a position to neglect our questions…"

Yet, that alone answered Danhauser's question.

Danhauser's eyes discretely scanned over the weapon sheathed on his back, it was wrapped in a cloth, but the shape and aura was a nod to his theory.

A holy sword.

He tensely massaged his nose but made sure to wear his stoic mask all the time. "We're leaving." He announced at Valerie, sheathing his weapon and disabling his demonic circles.

"Pardon…?" She stopped when Danhauser pulled out his wings and leave, forcing her to follow suit.

Thankfully, where they had landed wasn't so far away, it was atop of a small building. She noted how he fumed with the cell phone in his hand.

After typing the last digit, he brought the dispositive close to his ear.

 **[What's up, boss?]** The voice of his mutated Knight responded. **[Something you need?]**

"Finally," Danhauser ran a hand through his hair, relief washing over him. "I'll cut to the chase. There are three exorcists, in town. Do _not_ engage. Warn the rest with your phone and get back to the house. Understood?"

 **[… Okay.]** Tobio Ikuse trailed off. **[Can I at least know how they look just to make sure?]**

"I don't have the names, but one French girl and the rest two males," Danhauser responded. "The taller one has a holy sword on his back and one of them has a nasty tongue…"

 _"Why would an Exorcist curse like a damn sailor?"_ Danhauser scowled before his heart malfunctioned for a second. _"Oh no… Not him, please…"_

He briefly clashed stares with the Dhamphir and ran a hand over his hair. _"Don't tell me its Freed_ Fucking _Sellzen? Please, not him…"_

He honestly never cared of Freed Sellzen, he saw him as an anime character. That was it. Just a character that shouldn't be taken seriously, why would he get angry over someone who didn't exist?

But now, that the psychopath is going to be in Kuoh Town where his cousin is…

 **[You still there, boss?]** Slash Dog called out. **[I need to know if—!]**

Danhauser finished the call and searched for his contacts—his fingers shacked as he clicked on the screen and pulled the dispositive on his ear.

Come on…!" He desperately tapped his shoe on the floor whenever it ringed. "Please…! Just answer the damn—!"

 **[Moshi~! Moshi~!]** Cleria Belial chirped happily. **[How is my little Danny doing~?]**

 _"Thank God…"_ He ignored the drill-like headache. "Cleria, you need to know this. Three exorcists are on their way to Kuoh Town."

"That explains your attitude," Valerie muttered quietly from behind.

 **[W-WHAT?!]** She almost turned Danhauser deaf. **[How-how do you know that?!]**

"I found them and demanded answers," he responded, sighing. "Of course they didn't tell me their last stop, but Kuoh is filled with them chances are that Touji called for backup."

 **[B-but why…?]** He heard his cousin gulp. **[Y-You think** **they're…!]**

"I'll go to Kuoh right after we finish talking." Danhauser stopped her. "Once I'm there, I'll call Diehauser."

 **[Yeah, I could use some company…]** she quietly said. **[…Hey Danny, you… you promise you and Diehauser make it right before them, right?]**

"I will," the heir said. "Stay awake until I get in there. Take care."

He finally ended the call and stared at his phone's screen. He smiled fondly at the picture—it was Bova Tannin on his miniature Dragon form sleeping with Jin.

He doesn't even know why he took it.

He pocketed it and watched the light, blonde-girl approach him. "I wonder how you'll reach the town before them." She said. "Because while they're here they'll use a train to catch up to Kuoh… and it's unlikely you'll be sharing the same transport as them."

"I'll ask Lavinia to teleport me there."

"Do you have to, though?" she asked. "You told me that they can't touch your cousin and she can't touch them or else a war would break out."

"Yes, I told you that… but I've got a bad feeling about them." He pinched his nose. "I can't just look the other way when someone who has a holy sword is approaching Kuoh. I need to watch over my cousin."

But mostly, Freed was the one fucking with his mind. That bastard has the chance to start a damn war if someone wasn't constantly pulling his collar.

"Do you really love your family _that_ much?"

"Of course I love those damn idiots!" A hand clasped over his mouth. "Shit, sorry. Don't tell mom I called her an idiot."

Valerie seemed to discount his plea as she stared at him wide-eyed as if a tail sprouted out from his ass.

He carefully took a step forward. "… Are you alright, Valerie?"

Once again, her brain formulated thoughts properly. "Yes, yes… I'm fine." She drawled and slightly hung her head down. "It's just… I find myself a little envious of the relationship you have with your Clan."

"…" He grasped her shoulders softly, making her jump slightly by the touch. "… I'll do my best to find him. I promise."

She glanced at his hands before trailing off into his intense, gray eyes.

Valerie released a shaky sigh, softly pushing him away. "It… It matters not. Let us move."

* * *

Euclid Lucifuge turned off the television as calmly as he could, laying the controller to the side. He shaped his fingers in a pyramid and distantly gazed in thought. Many times he'd seen the recording of the match between the heir of Belial and the Phenex boy. While it was an entertaining video, he wasn't focused on the fight per se.

"The girl," Euclid muffled out. "Why isn't the grail in the video?"

A weak grunt was his answer as another figure slumped on the couch beside him, almost squishing the remote controller.

The second Devil passed a hand across his black-white hair in doubt. "… I don't know."

"To begin with, are you sure the Sephiroth Graal is in the hands of the Belial Clan, Lord Nebiros?" Euclid threw a suspicious glare.

Lord Nebiros just massaged his forehead's muscles. "… She has to be!" He persisted. "Malacoda only has connections between Ars Goetia because of his sister, Calcabrina Malebranche, who is now a member of the Belial Clan!"

"Then why is the girl not with the boy?" Euclid gestured at the shut-off TV. "There's no way Emperor Belial has her on his Peerage. He already has his board complete."

"Maybe they're hiding her?" A voice in the background timidly quipped enough for the two old Devils look behind their seat. "… Valerie has the Holy Grail, after all."

"It could be…" Lord Nebiros agreed. "Perhaps they're trying to keep her existence as hush as possible, especially from the Elders."

Euclid's calm composure shook slightly at the mention of such dangerous figures. The Elders. People that are very admired or despised by Devils not only coming from Ars Goetia but Extra Demons as well, even he was frightened of them. It's a fool's gambit trying to at least kill one of them. The Underworld would tremble.

Zekram Bael, the most well-known Elder in the world, could have trouble keeping the leash tight around the 72 Pillars elders.

"They're like a horde of hungry pigs, their stomachs are almost void-like," remarked Euclid. "I rather prefer the Holy Chalice to be on the grasp of the Belial Clan rather than them…"

"That makes two of us." Lord Nebiros muttered before standing up, cracking his neck.

"Also," Euclid spared a side-glance at the retreating Devil. "Where did you get this video? It takes months for the City of Dis to have DVDs on sale across their districts…"

"House of Naberius," Lord Nebiros easily responded. "Just like Malacoda has a connection with the Clan Belial, I do have one with the Naberius Clan… and to an extent the Zagan, too."

Euclid's eyebrow curved. "I'm baffled that Clan Zagan is in your grasp." He admitted. "Isn't the Lord of that Clan working as a senator under The Emperor himself?"

The black-white-haired Devil chuckled humorlessly. "Of course he is. Hence the reason I had a copy of that fight." He responded. "For your information, Lord Zagan is a Zagan in name only. The House of Zagan was near extinction and they needed to make sure the Clan didn't fall extinct so…"

"They took someone from the Clan Naberius to fill the role as a Lord." Euclid finished, humming. "Impressive."

"In the end, it went well for you…" Marius Tepes muttered.

"Who are you, again?" Lord Nebiros glared at his direction.

Marius winced at the coldness of his eyes. "M-Marius Tepes…"

"…" Lord Nebiros kept gazing at him before turning to Euclid. "A slave of yours?"

"Something along those lines," Euclid nonchalantly responded. "Either way, why build a bridge with a House coming from Ars Goetia?" He suddenly smiled in amusement. "Afraid of losing clients in the Nebiros District?"

Lord Nebiros folded his arms. "To continue my experiment." He replied, seeing the silent stares of Euclid and Marius, he continued. "… Long ago I started to work in the dark on an experiment that I didn't want Regent-Lord Lucifuge to find out about."

Just by mentioning the bluffer Lord of Lucifuge expanded Euclid's curiosity. "What experiment?"

"Super Devils," Nebiros said, pleased at their expressions. "How to become a Super Devil." He spun around and walked away; knowing Euclid and Marius would follow. "… I had this project in secret, even from my Clan. I've hired a human scientist, who was also curious about the research, and his mate to work for me."

"Mate?" Marius asked as they stepped out of the room and walking the hallway.

"A Nekomata of the Nekoshou Clan." He specified, taking a left. "Her name was Fujimai. She birthed two kitties named Shirone and Kuroka."

"I'm surprised you know her daughter's names," Euclid commented, smirking slyly. "Maybe your relationship with her was deeper than I thought…"

"That's because I named them," Lord Nebiros dismissed his teasing. "Their mother and father didn't even care about them. Fujimai only loved her mate… which was one-sided as he was too focused on his research and only felt lust for her body, regardless she still attempted to gain his attention but to no avail."

"What a beautiful family!" Euclid brought a hand to his chest, sighing contently.

"In the end, I took care of the girls while they progressed on the project." Lord Nebiros suddenly scowled. "… But their parents died due to the experiment going wrong."

"… Oh?"

"It was a chemical explosion that alarmed the whole City of Dis." Lord Nebiros continued. "The chances of the idiots having sex on the table and accidentally throwing a few explosive chemicals to the floor during his thrusts are quite high…" He growled, shaking his anger away. "I heard from my contacts that Regent-Lord Lucifuge was approaching my district and during that time I was with Shirone, Kuroka and… Lord Naberius."

"The soon to be Lord Zagan," Euclid dramatically commented, stopping with the rest in front of a door. Hysterical laughter came from the other room.

"Correct," Lord Nebiros clenched and unclenched his fist. "… I acted on instinct that day. I had the information about the steps to become a Super Devil, but it was halfway done. I quickly gave the data to Shirone and told both cats to follow Lord Naberius as the latter resumed the research where the human left it."

Euclid stayed silent for a while and laid his hand on the knob, he fixated his red eyes over Nebiros. "When that research of yours is done, please don't hesitate to share it. We need all the power we can get."

Satisfied with seeing the Devil nodding, he twisted the knob and went inside with Lord Nebiros and Marius following behind.

Catching sight of what could be the ideal Devil in his eyes, Euclid and Lord Nebiros immediately dropped to their knees in respect. "Your Majesty," he breathed out, eyes locked on the floor.

Marius in the meantime shot an odd look at the eccentric Super Devil that sat in his chair in a crouching position, sometimes spinning around with a comic book in his hands.

This guy is not a joke.

Despite those childish antics from someone of his age, the bastard was releasing a powerful, limitless amount of creepy aura off his body, enough to prove his strength over Demonic Power.

Nonetheless, he followed Euclid and Nebiros' steps after the two Devils shot him threatening glares.

That's when the silver-haired Devil froze up and noticed them. "Ooooh~! Euclid, you're back~!" Rizevim Livan Lucifer cheered as he hopped off from his chair. "Welcome, welcome back to my dungeon!"

"I'll always be back, your Majesty," Euclid assured him as he stood up. "Ah, I've seen that you're reading the book I've gotten for you. It brings joy to my heart."

"I LOVE 'EM~!" Rizevim wildly shook the comic, not caring if a few pages disjoined from his harsh movements. He pushed the magazine inches away from Euclid's smiling face. "Finally a book where the bad guys and no the cringy heroes are taking the spotlight! I was getting tired of the same boring shit! Hmm~! It gives me an orgasm simply by reading the good stuff~!"

Marius's nose wrinkled in disgust.

Euclid, who was unfazed by the display, kept his proud smile intact. "I'm overjoyed. I shall fill this room of yours with the same genre of literature from now on."

Rizevim pulled back his comic and pouted. "Damn, break a leg then, Euclid! Cuz all of them are always the same! The good guys always winning and sucking their own dicks! Everyone knows that evil should always triumph because 'good' sucks balls! Uhyahyahyahyahya~!"

Marius awkwardly watched how Euclid and Lord Nebiros soon joined Rizevim in the laughter. _"It wasn't even funny, at all."_ He hesitantly rose from the floor, expecting punishment for not laughing.

Thankfully, none came.

As soon as Lucifer's son finished his hyena's moans, he turned to his right man with a shit-eating grin. "Hey, hey! Are you done watching the same match over and over again of Danny-boy and his shitty companions?"

"For now, your Majesty," Euclid responded, swiftly snapping his fingers in as he recalled something. He turned back to the black-white-haired Devil whose gaze met his. "Ah, Lord Nebiros?"

"What now?"

"From what you've told me, you have secret Intel about Ars Goetia, correct?"

"Correct." Lord Nebiros affirmed, frowning.

Euclid just smiled satisfactorily. "Well, I would love if you could share it with us a memory that hasn't left my mind this whole weekend."

"What?"

Euclid opened his mouth but stopped when a magic circle appeared close to his ear. "Hello?" His eyes widened slightly. "Oh? Is that so? That sounds magnificent."

"Hey, hey~! Euclid!" Rizevim jumped on the table and sat leg-crossed, grinning at his right-hand man. "Is this guy the one you were talking about? Our new lil' partner in crime?"

"I hope so," Euclid muttered as he concluded the call. "It was one of my Magicians of Nilrem. They found Hexennacht and accepted our request, we'll negotiate apparently."

"Awesome! Now things are starting to get fun!" Rizevim cheered as he hopped off the table. "I was starting to get bored sitting all day, sleeping, watching TV and jerking off! I need the goodies, y'know?!"

"And you shall have them, your Majesty." Euclid ad Lord Nebiros bowed in respect. "All you have to do is ask and it shall be done."

"Well, what are we waiting for?! Let's make some new friends and then get that shitty Grail back!" Rizevim froze midway. "Wait a second! Where the hell are we going? Where's the meeting?! Oh! Oh! I hope on a strip club~!"

Euclid moved forward. "That's right, I almost forgot, my apologies your Majesty." He bowed. "It will be carried out on the Dimensional Gap."

"Ooooh~!" Rizevim squeezed his cheeks. "That's even better! Think we'll meet the Washboard Dragon?"

"We'll see, your Majesty."

* * *

 **Yes, that's Kuroka and Shirone's background, comfirmed by Ishibumi, yes I spoiled you Volume 24, yes we'll see more about Senjutsu.**

 **I'll cut the chase. When we reach the end of this fanfic, I'll put this fanfic in status: Complete and make another one where we are on the DxD! Canon.**

 **Now, you can read my whiny rant where I explain everything. If not, then I wish you a good day or night and hope you enjoyed the three chapters.**

 **I did something that I never wanted to do. Read my fanfic, for an unknown reason I hate reading my own stuff, even so, I did it.**

 **To my surprise, I liked how's it's going so far, this is the first time I like something I've done. I know my opinion here doesn't matter at all. I read it because for another reason. A single thing that I never liked.**

 **The numbers of words for each chapter are around 10k or more. I fucking hated that, how long I made the chapters. All this time I was like: how long until I get into the next chapter?! It took me a lot of time to reach chapter 22. And chances of you guys getting bored is so high that you'll leave the fanfic unfinished, which I finally understand.**

 **Now, there's nothing wrong writing 10K words. I've seen people writing even 20k and doing great on their fics. This isn't the case here, my fanfic is as serious as cancer, there are no funny moments and my updates are slow as hell. On this fic I'm trying to develop the DxD world, starting with the Devil Faction and later on, aim for the other Factions.  
**

 **To make it easier to understand, what would you prefer? Anomaly: Each chapter 10k with everything filled with serious moments, politics, and world building to the point that you fall asleep or any other fanfic that'll make you laugh and have a great time?**

 **Another problem is the main protagonist. He's boring. Dan doesn't p** **ick up girls like a pro, he's not charismatic as hell, he's not funny that will make your gut explode, he's not banging girls, nor a Deceiving Master that will find a way to screw up the plans of Zekram himself. He's just there, surviving and doing his best to stay alive. Normally, you don't need to put those characteristics on your characters, but the charismatic one is a most. In my opinion.** **  
**

 **This is a Self-Insert, this is literally me in real life and I like how I'm portraying Danhauser, dunno why to be honest. Maybe because I love the way I am or I'm just blinded by arrogance or I'm a complete narcissistic. But I can understand why you guys don't like him, and its all cool.**

 **There are some people that talked about Danhauser being weak, I'll keep it brief, I refuse to believe that. If you think that way, good for you. I won't waste my time changing your mind.**

 **All in all, if you guys are expecting Danhauser throughout the Slash/Dog plot to out of nowhere knock on Kokabiel's door, kick the living shit out of him without breaking a sweat, bang his harem. Then just unfav and unfollow already and find something else to read on.  
**

 **What I can promise you is a different route from DxD! Canon, how the society works in different Factions, Danhauser evolving as a character and those people around him, become the next Champion, become strong by following the same route as Sirzechs, Ajuka, and Diehauser,** **simply on training without wielding any SGs or power from foreign entities. Just the sweat from his brow to become a Super Devil. Plus romance. If you don't like any of those, then you can leave.  
**

 **That's why I'll make another fanfic that starts in DxD! Canon _or_ maybe I'll just write on this fanfic the DxD! Canon too, but obviously around 5k or 6k words ******so we can save ourselves time and not bore you to death. Chances of future chapters facing the same consequences are high, too.  
****

 ** **Well, there goes my beta male drama rant. Sorry for wasting your time. Take care.****

* * *

 ** **Next Chapter: A Box****


	23. A Box

**Chapter 23: A Box.**

* * *

"So, can I count on you, Azazel?"

 **[Yeah, sure.]** Azazel nonchalantly said. He had talked with Danhauser Belial for several minutes about a certain light, blonde-haired Dhampir. While he responded in an easy way, he really was looking forward to taking a look at her, or rather, the Holy Chalice.

She's a damn anomaly, a case that couldn't be ignored by a Sacred Gear fanatic like him. He wants to see what else the Sephiroth Graal has to surprise his already hyped enthusiasm. Now he understood the gleeful feeling of Vali Lucifer whenever the hybrid was in a heated fight.

"That's great," Danhauser observed the windows with narrowed eyes. "Could you come to Ryuukou Town? I doubt Fallen Angels would welcome us in the Grigori…"

 **[Yeah, let's do it in your house.]** The Governor agreed. **[I'm curious, wasn't your girlfriend refusing to pull out her Sacred Gear…? What made her change her mind?]**

The Devil sighed as he spun around. "We argued about it for a while, but I somehow convinced her." He paused. "She's not my girlfriend."

The Fallen Angel laughed. It's great embarrassing teenagers. **[Alright, alright.]** Danhauser heard the Governor coughing behind a fist. **[Now, why do you want me to take a look at her?]**

Danhauser pressed his lips tightly. "… She has severe side effects that are most likely because of the abuse of her Sacred Gear."

 **[Like what?]** Azazel asked instantly. **[Tell me some of her unwanted effects.]**

Danhauser passed a thumb over his eyebrow. "I don't know why, but whenever it's nighttime, she sees the dead." He frowned at the unpleasant memories. "… It happens randomly, and I wanted to know if there's a way of putting an end to that."

 **[Hmm…]** Danhauser heard Azazel scratching his goatee. **[… Is that all? I feel there's something you don't want to tell me.]**

"… The conversation you had with her could've raised a _few_ questions." Danhauser admitted. "Plus I had a talk with her on the same day that somehow involved the same topic…"

 **[Ah, now I remember.]** Danhauser pictured Azazel nodding. **[Yeah. I have a few theories that matched with her answers, but first I think it's better if I have a look at the Holy Grail before jumping into details.]**

Danhauser couldn't respond as a knock came from the door. He hastily put the cell phone down. "Y-yes?" He called out, even if a part of him knew full well what's going to happen next.

"They're here," his brother, Diehauser Belial, said behind the door and left, even with his usual soothing voice, Danhauser could feel the tension cutting like a knife through hot butter.

It was aggravating.

Danhauser just swallowed hard as the steps of his brother faded away. He brought back the phone to his ear. "Sorry, but I have to go. I need to solve something."

 **[Sure?]** Azazel strangely replied. **[Am I missing a quinceañera party or what?]**

"Let's just say I have a problem in Kuoh Town that involves exorcists," Danhauser said as he approached the door. "Catch you later."

 **[…I see. Good luck.]** After the Governor hanged the phone, Danhauser left the room and mentally readied himself for the next challenge.

* * *

As Danhauser Belial stepped in front of the main room his eyebrows sunk skeptically at the lack of people. "I thought they were here?"

"They are outside," Diehauser Belial said as he stood up from the sofa. "I just wanted to make sure everyone's here before letting them in. Guess I'll go open the door."

"You need me for anything?" It was a dumb question; after all, this was The Emperor himself.

But it never hurt to ask.

"Stay with Cleria as I greet the visitors," Diehauser gestured at the sofa before taking off.

The heir hummed acceptingly and sat beside his cousin. He carefully shook her shoulder. "How are you holding up?"

"Hmm?" Cleria Belial popped a single eye open, smiling tiredly at Danhauser. "I'm doing fine, Danny." She said with a yawn. "Just catching forty winks before they get in here."

"Didn't you sleep yesterday?"

"Of course not!" She said with a troubled look. "How could I sleep like the princess I am when I'd received a call in the middle of the night? It was like a horror movie!"

"You shouldn't have answered in the first place," Danhauser lectured her. "Next time just stay silent until the person answers."

Cleria's eyebrow went up as she smirked. "Is there heavy, nasal breathing involved?"

Danhauser winked at her. "Duh."

She giggled and fished something out of her pocket. "By the way, this is for you." She lent it to Danhauser who took it. "Sae Toujou told me to give it to you."

Danhauser whistled in surprise. "Really now?" He muttered while tossing the object upward.

"Yup!" She chirped. "An amazing student, by the way, her grades are the highest in Kuoh! If she keeps this streak, she may become the number one in the school! Cute and smart, the perfect wombo combo!"

"…" Danhauser stayed quiet as he caught the recorder in mid-air, now giving it a proper inspection. It was obvious that Sae Toujou gave it to him for a different purpose; she has a cold relationship with him and doesn't want anything that has to do with him. The chances that this recorder is for her childhood friend, Tobio Ikuse, is high.

The question is what's the recorded message? Obviously, something that involves the Slash/Dog storyline.

His train of thoughts ended when Cleria nudged him fast enough for him to instinctively pocket the recorder. His brother and two cloaked figures made it into the main room, appreciating each corner of the house.

The shorter figure froze and gasped slightly. "It's you…" she whispered, clashing stares with Danhauser, her voice wasn't laced with ill intent, just surprise. "The Devil we met in Ryuukou Town."

Danhauser bit his tongue and gave a brief nod. A part of him was relieved that Freed Sellzen stayed behind, but his other half, however, was jolting in fear by the holy power that the holy sword of the second Exorcist emitted, Cleria also felt it from the way she uncomfortably shifted closer to her cousin. Diehauser was the only one unfazed by the weapon's presence, but he still kept an eye on the swordsman.

Danhauser wondered what ancient weapon that could be. A shard of Excalibur or even Durandal itself could be in his grasp.

That's when a warm smile emerged from the hooded girl. "It's nice meeting you once again!"

Danhauser's mouth opened, but his answer died in his throat as the girl pulled her hood down, freeing her perfect radiance to the world.

As the Maiden fixed her golden hair with tender fingers, Danhauser couldn't help himself but stare in awe at the blonde sitting in front. Unlike Valerie Tepes who has the mature beauty of a vampire and a human, this exorcist carries the beauty of an angel that made one's heart flutter strongly just by being near her.

Whenever Danhauser met a girl from DxD Universe, he'd always ask himself why they had bodies that a model would die for? Even Augusta, who was around her sixties, had a charm around her that Danhauser couldn't help but praise.

"This is a beautiful house," Her French accent brought Danhauser's focus back to the meeting. "A splendid view from the windows, and there're so many paintings! It must be relaxing here."

"Well," Cleria scratched her cheek. "It is comfortable, yeah."

The Holy Saint bonked her head. "Ah! Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself! Silly me!" She playfully stuck her tongue out before harrumphing. "I'm Jeanne."

Cleria clashed stares with Danhauser and Diehauser, both shrugging, before turning back to the foreign girl. "Um…What's up?"

Jeanne's eyes sparkled. "Oh! I never heard a greeting like that one before! I love it!" She pounded her chest with her fist twice, then gave the peace sign. "Wh…Whassup! My homieees!"

…

…

…

The three Devils watched with different signs of expressions. Even Jeanne's bodyguard, who stood in the background, was embarrassed by her change of attitude. No matter what Danhauser said, even if he shrugged out her words, the pink on his cheeks settled on a different view.

The heir fixated his sight on his cousin, who had her hands clasped over her mouth. "…So cute!" She quietly squealed out, something that Danhauser internally agreed, no question asked.

Because of the silent treatment, Jeanne blushed and sheepishly poked her fingers together. "Ah...! Ahaha! S-sorry, I got carried away..."

"Again," her bodyguard chided her.

Her cheeks just became redder.

Even by the cute display that Jeanne showed to the people, Danhauser's thoughts took a different road, fumbling and trying to piece things together. He wouldn't feel offended if Diehauser and Cleria jumped away by the smell of roasted brains.

Was this the life of Jeanne before joining the selfish quest of Cao Cao? Or is this because of his presence already spitting on the timeline and designing a new world just to screw with his canon knowledge? He knew stuff like this would happen, Siegfried, his first servant, is a perfect example.

What if Gilles de Rais met her?

Danhauser froze and gulped, the thought already spreading a chill up his spine.

"It's… all right," Diehauser said after sitting beside his brother. "I don't intend to sound rude, but we doubt you're in Kuoh Town to start a new life."

"You are correct," Jeanne nodded, quickly dispatching her previous embarrassment. "We made our way here to Japan to solve something that will benefit all of us."

Danhauser curved an eyebrow. "I think you need to be more specific."

"Build a bridge between the Three Great Main Powers," she easily said. "Make a peace treaty between the Three Factions."

There was a delicious moment where the Belial Family's faces washed blank with confusion like their brains circuits couldn't work fast enough to take in the information from their wide eyes.

Diehauser, quickly, overcame his shock. "This... this is troublesome." His nose rumpled. "I'm sorry, but what's your name again?"

The Exorcist beamed back. "I'm Jeanne!"

"Alright, Jeanne." The Emperor rubbed his eyes. "With all due respect. This isn't something that an Exorcist can just ask out of the blue… if it was someone of a higher rank such as the actual Pope, the Archangel Michael or any Seraph of the Four Great Seraphs actually…"

"Unless she isn't an exorcist actually…" Cleria whispered to her family. "But someone with an _important_ status."

Danhauser could only nod in agreement.

"But that's why I'm here," Jeanne countered. "The Voices told me to do this."

"…The Voices?" Danhauser parroted.

The Holy Saint hummed. "Oui, the Voices. I was sent here by the Archangel Michael and Seraph Gabriel."

"Prove it," Diehauser said. "I find it hard to believe that the 'Voices' told you to do this."

Jeanne bit her tongue. "I…I understand your lack of trust in my words, but I only speak the truth and only the truth." She firmly declared. "Sadly, I carry no evidence of my communication with the Archangel and the Seraph… I wish there was a way for me to share it. I really do."

"…" The Champion just clashed stares with her, trying to see if there was any suspicious move that betrayed her words. He found none.

The blonde saint pointed to a window. "This town has both Devils and Exorcists walking through the streets as equals...kind of." She explained. "Unfortunately, the tension between Devil and Exorcist is cold in Kuoh… but it is because the Three Factions are in a state of conflict…Even if the Archangel sent me on this quest, I know that the Lord also seeks for an end to this antagonism between us."

"Does anyone know about this?" Danhauser asked. "Is the Vatican informed about this?"

Jeanne smiled. "Only a few I'm afraid." She replied. "…A few had disagreed with it, but in the end, all went well."

"…This is something we can't answer," Diehauser sighed. "We cannot speak for the Underworld, this is something that involves those that are of a higher rank."

While the House of Belial has a high status in the Underworld, Diehauser's role doesn't involve building peace treaties. He's the Head Senator. His main objective is just to update and create new rules for Ars Goetia to keep the remaining Pillars stable.

This remains on the hand of Lord Bael himself and the Elder Devils, mostly Zekram Bael. If they agreed, they'll send Serafall Leviathan to handle the rest.

"And I understand," Jeanne assured him. "That is why I need your help. If you could somehow get in contact with the Four Great Satans to create a meeting with The Four Great Seraphs and the Lord then the world could change for the better… I just need to locate the Governor-General and convince him too…"

Cleria, Danhauser, and Diehauser exchanged worried looks, speaking through eye contact as they worked together to give a final answer to the patient saint. The three of them wouldn't mind making peace with the Pure Angels and Fallen Angels, it would tone down the tension between the Three Powers.

Finally, Diehauser sighed and faced the blonde girl. "I can see you're adamant about this." He started. "To end this conflict between us for a better world… that's something admirable."

Jeanne broke into a huge smile. "Then it is settled?"

The Emperor pursed his lips. "No." his words shocked her. "We can't. It won't work, I'm so sorry."

Jeanne stood up. "B-but why?!" Her eyes darted constantly to the three Devils for an explanation. "Is…is this because of us?"

Cleria raised a hand to calm her down. "…Trust me, the Angels and Fallen Angels aren't the issues." She looked down, ashamed. "The problem is us."

"The Devils." Danhauser finished for her.

"W-what?" Jeanne stuttered.

The fact that each pair of eyes rested on the heir was enough to force him to continue. "Right." He massaged his face. "What can you offer the Old Devils to at least peek their attention?"

Jeanne seemed confused if her head cutely tilted to the side was any indication. She laughed nervously whilst scratching her cheek. "Um… how these answer my question?"

Thankfully, her bodyguard took a bold step forward. "What are you implying, Devil?"

Diehauser nodded. "Look. Normally, that's how you build a peace treaty. Each Faction needs to offer something valuable to make sure both parties are satisfied and the tension lessens within the alliance… "

It's like the future, arranged marriage between the Phenex Clan and Gremory Clan.

"… but here's the catch, we, the Devils, have everything to survive."

"With the exception of Churches, crosses, bibles and anything related to Heaven." Cleria quipped. "… but I can assure you that the government doesn't need any of those. Ever."

 _"Maybe if they offered Zenith Tempest they'll gain the Elder's curiosity,"_ Danhauser fought the urge to scoff. _"Unlikely. There's no way Heaven is going to sacrifice Dulio, the Strongest Exorcist, to the underworld."_

Even if the Dulio Gesualdo accepted such terms, the Angel Faction wouldn't agree.

The Emperor wasn't exaggerating. Each Clan has something that keeps the capital Lilith alive and active, such as the developed industry that the Gremory Clan has to offer. The Sitri Clan with their advanced medical facilities as well, having one of the most famous hospitals in the Underworld. The Phenex Clan with their famous Phoenix Tears.

And that's just mentioning a few.

Indeed. The Underworld, mostly the Pillars, had reached the first World pinnacle eons ago and they kept on evolving, keeping up on par with humans in terms of technology and surpassing humanity in terms of magic.

Sure, neither Danhauser nor anyone from his family believes that Devils are the greatest race in the world, but the Elders, on the other hand…

"We don't even care about Dis and the Extra Demons who are practically our neighbors," Danhauser finally said. "What makes you think that we'll accept an alliance with Heaven and Grigori? The Factions that the Elders have had a grudge since the Great War?"

Jeanne stayed silent for a while, trying to find an answer on her palms that could at least give her the higher ground. "The Lord has forgotten all of the incidents during the previous Great War. He wants peace for all of us. Can't the Old Devils just move on? For the sake of their race?"

"You're asking _too_ much of them," Cleria chuckled dryly. "The Elders… corruption...abuse of power…comparing the 'virtue' of these people with Stray Devils, they make the latter look certainly compassionate in comparison. It's because of the underworld is in the hands of bastards like them that it's all screwed up... that's why I left."

She felt the pointy look of Jeanne's bodyguard.

Cleria snorted in return. "Yeah, sure, I get it. I'm a Devil and that alone makes me an ass, too... but at least I'm honest about it."

Jeanne's shoulders finally slumped in defeat. "Then… in the end, we're still going to hold our weapons in each other's throats for no reason whatsoever."

"Not really," Danhauser's voice made her perk up with hope. "…I believe there's a way for the Three Factions to put aside their differences."

The saint leaned forward, accidentally slamming her hands on the table as her emotions got the best of her. "How?!"

"A brigade of chaos," Danhauser responded casually, unaffected by her outburst, "an army of disaster that has the power to wreak havoc with a fickle swipe of their fingers to earth."

"Terrorism of the highest caliber," Diehauser surmised, nodding. "…Yes. I think that's the only way I can see the Three Factions working together. After all, we all care for this world for different reasons."

Danhauser doesn't know any other way to find peace, he wasn't Maou Leviathan. It was like the Vampires such as the Tepes and Carmilla Faction; the vampires' cold-hearted discriminatory nature will diminish later on because of the Evil Dragon War led by Apophis and Aži Dahāka with the assistance of 666 Trihexa and cannon fodders. They pushed their hatred aside to protect this world.

Plus a few of them changed in terms of personality such as Elmenhilde Karnstein who became calmer, sweet, sensitive and kind when the leaders of the many factions sealed themselves to defeat the Beast, who later on has a crush on Issei Hyoudou.

Heck, even throughout the Great War, the Three Factions had pushed their hatred momentarily aside to stop the Heavenly Dragons.

Jeanne's eyes narrowed as her gaze went downward in thought. "Is that so…" she hummed and looked up with a friendly smile. "I apologize if I caused any of you unpleasant trouble."

"Not at all," Diehauser watched how the saint stood up and gave a bow. "I hope you understand the situation."

"I do," Jeanne assured him, her kind and infectious smile perfectly painted. "I thank you all for your time."

"Let me show you the exit."

She turned to Danhauser and Cleria, waving her hands enthusiastically as Diehauser and her bodyguard walked away. "Goodbye! I hope we can still get along despite our differences! Peace out!"

"Jeanne!"

"Eep! So sorry!"

Both Devils waited quietly for the Emperor to take them out of the house, but their impatience grew each second and Cleria released a sigh when they were far distanced. "First time I ever had someone enter my house." She paused. "With the exception of you and Diehauser."

Danhauser just sunk his elbow over the sofa's arm. "Hey, you think this is a good idea?" He asked, eyeing her.

"The peace thingy?" She saw him nod. "Of course I do! Heck, I'll even throw a party! And that girl is without a doubt the honored guest!"

The heir curved an amused eyebrow. "What? Don't tell me you like her already?"

"She's adorable!" Cleria squealed. "Especially her cheeks! I wanted to squeeze them so badly!"

Danhauser rolled his eyes, chuckling. "Oh, you…"

Cleria pouted and poked his ribs. "Hey! Don't roll your eyes, mister!" She wiggled her finger, smirking playfully. "Don't think I didn't notice how you looked at her when she pulled her hood down! We almost drowned with all your drool!"

"Shut up," Danhauser huffed, looking away. "Y-you're hallucinating."

Of course, she didn't buy it.

Unfortunately, for Cleria, Diehauser stepping inside, ruining any further teasing she had planned. "This is getting out of hand. Now there are four of them."

The heir cautiously blinked. "What's wrong?"

"Ruval's sister, the Dhampir girl, the Faustus and finally the exorcist." The Emperor brought a hand to his chin, humming. "Hmmm. Yes, everything makes sense now. You have a secret spell that attracts all the blondes."

Danhauser stared blankly. "Haha. Very funny."

Cleria laughed. "Apparently, it also affects guys, too!" she tossed her two cents while ignoring her cousin's glare. "Such as Ruval and Raiser!"

"Maybe it's a third Clan Trait." The Emperor suggested. "Blonde Magnetism."

"Bonus points if they have blue eyes!"

"The Dhampir doesn't have blue eyes," Diehauser pointed out. "That's troublesome. Maybe Dan's god-like powers are mutating."

"I hate you two," the heir growled.

Cleria gasped and gripped her wounded heart. "W-what?! How could you!? I love you with my life! Please, Danny, love me baaaaack~!"

"No."

"Oof!"

"You wanted a cool nickname, right?" Diehauser half smiled. "How about _'Blonde Whisperer'_ Danhauser Belial? Sounds scary if you ask me."

"You're horrible at making nicknames," Dan the Man dismissed as he felt the warmth of his cousin's arm sneaking around his neck, yanking him off his seat.

"Here we go…" He weakly sighed.

"Welp! Now that we have finished bullying Danny…" she also shifted an arm over Diehauser. "How about going out and have some fun?"

"Like what?" Diehauser asked while forcefully walking to the exit. "What comes to your mind, Cleria?"

"How about going to bars and drinking irresponsibly?"

She just received deadpan stares.

Cleria boomed a laugh. "Fooled ya!" she playfully stuck her tongue out. "Let's go to my favorite coffee shop, it's not so far so we can chat while we're walking and enjoy the sunset. I'll show you the way, but you guys will pay!"

Danhauser snorted amusingly. "Wow, super generous."

She flicked his forehead.

* * *

After Danhauser Belial had time to spare with his brother and cousin in a coffee shop not so far away from Cleria Belial's house, Danhauser had to quickly return to Ryuukou Town and shut his eyes to be ready for the upcoming visit of the Governor-General himself, Azazel.

Danhauser had been glued to his seat for around an hour this morning. Watching from behind how Azazel studied the Sephiroth Graal while asking questions to Valerie Tepes, of course, the latter answering with gritted teeth. When Valerie had summoned her Sacred Gear, Azazel almost accidentally summoned his twelve wings from bliss, even Danhauser was struck with awe, even if he knew about the existence of the Sub-species Longinus, it was a sight worthy of a thousand pictures.

Three Holy Grails on the table. All of them radiating in equal strength.

Danhauser was used to seeing Valerie appear miffed whenever someone asked her questions of her past. The annoyance cloaking around her body was like a second skin that didn't go unnoticed by the two males. Before each question she hesitated, head tilted to one side just a smidge, glaring at Danhauser, and then she delivered an articulate answer.

Obviously, they had to use an empty room for this, his Peerage was out and Lavinia Reni was either in Grauzauberer or pulling Vali Lucifer's reddened cheeks. But the multiple voices coming from downstairs was proof that they weren't the only ones in this house. By using Senjutsu, he knew they were his friends.

"Alright, we're done," Azazel called out as he stood up and properly stretched his arms. "Damn…! Took so long, but worth every penny!"

The Dhampir didn't waste time to vanish her Longinus. "Since I was obliged to be involved in this, I think I have the rights to know the results, don't you agree, Mr. Governor-General?"

The heir rolled his eyes. "This is for your own good, Valerie."

Azazel rubbed his hands and nodded. "Right. Malacoda was too late in pulling you out of that shithole." He paused. "Your brother, Marius Tepes, via abusing your Sacred Gear has broken you in both heart and soul."

Danhauser clicked his tongue. _"Damn… all this time… she has broken already. And we're not even in canon DxD yet… how would she be if she stayed all these years back on the Tepes Castle?"_

That was a thought that Danhauser immediately pushed away from his mind.

"…" Valerie stared stoically. "…what kind of jest is this?"

"Denial," Azazel sighed knowingly and folded his arms. "When I asked you questions back then, it was enough to raise my curiosity."

"I find that hard to believe," Valerie fought a scowl. "I shall back down from this discussion if you have any proof that says otherwise."

"The fact that you were forcefully using Sephiroth Graal for months is enough evidence." Danhauser countered.

"Plus you can see souls of the deceased is another point to add to the list," Azazel added. "Look…I may have exaggerated a bit. You're kind of broken, not fully."

Danhauser frowned. "Care to explain?"

"Depending on how much she has been contacting the principle of life, the Sacred Gear will have various temporary and permanent effects." Explained the fallen angel. "The first stage is lack of few emotions. She'll have difficulty in distinguishing and appreciating some emotions of others, which is thought to lead to an empathic route and ineffective emotional responding."

She gripped the sides of her chair. "I have emotions."

"Is that so?" Azazel challenged. "Then describe happiness, then."

"You cannot describe an emotion in word, phrase or any sentences."

"Maybe," Azazel shrugged. "But in my opinion, everyone has their personal definition when it's about feeling emotions. For example, a good friend of mine described it as he felt like he's being embraced and blessed by the world. That's how he felt when his daughter was born…So, describe happiness."

Valerie glared steeled. "I already gave you my answer."

The Fallen Angel grunted. "Fine then…In spite of this, she can still show some emotions, but she may find problems with identifying, processing, describing, or working with them."

"May I take my leave?" Valerie harshly stood up. "I would love to take a rest after passing through this, particularly when I feel as if my head is about to explode any moment now."

Azazel sluggishly waved his hand at the door and the girl stormed out of the room. He chuckled afterward. "Damn. You have weird tastes."

Danhauser stared at the exit for a minute. "It's alright, I knew she was going to lose her temper." He pinched his nose. "She always disliked when people talked about her, especially this type of stuff… are you sure she has this symptom, Azazel?"

From what Danhauser saw on her the moment she stepped on the Belial Territory, her personality and behavior seemed to be determined by her bad experiences locked in the dungeon, discrimination from noble Vampires and lack of family love. Even so, she did learn a few things like prioritizing adaptability over anything else. Hence the reason why Danhauser finds it difficult to see if Azazel's words carry any truth.

She's just a cynical hybrid with concrete, realistic and logical thinking.

But hey, maybe as she grew up, she began seeing the world from a different perspective, the abuse of the Holy Grail just became the final nail in the coffin.

"Absolutely," Azazel retorted. "Remember. I said half broken, she still has a few emotions working properly within her…the others are locked, but she still can unlock them."

Danhauser looked up in surprise. "Go on."

The Governor-General bit his thumb and narrowed his eyes. "…Yeah, this is going to be difficult to explain… I should have brought Penemue with me. She's good with this type of stuff." He admitted. "Lucky you, I have an example. Say, how would you feel if you defeated your brother and became the Second Champion?"

"I'll be really happy," Danhauser said, smiling as he pictured it. "Heck, I would even cry from happiness."

Azazel snapped his fingers with a smile. "There you go. She needs something that would make her reach that stage of joy. She'll freak out at first because of the new sensation, but later on, she'll get used to it."

"It… makes sense," Danhauser gave a brief, grateful nod and glanced down at his hands. _"Like what?"_ He pursed his lips in thought. _"She loves insects and arachnids, especially spiders, but I doubt buying a jar full of them would do the job…"_

His eyes shaped into dishes as a memory struck him like a migraine. _"…I'm a dumbass. There is a way… I just need to make a call to a certain someone and convince him..."_

"I guess you have that problem solved," Azazel commented idly. "Moving on. The strange case of her seeing the dead. There's a cure."

Danhauser remained quiet and listened.

The Fallen Angel appreciated the full attention. "The ghost's she's seeing are none other than the past possessors of the Holy Grail…and other unfortunate people."

That's when Danhauser sighed knowingly. This was just like Issei Hyoudou and Vali Lucifer fending off the past possessors of their respective Sacred Gears to obtain a better version of the Juggernaut Overdrive.

However, something that Azazel said made him frown. "Other people?" He repeated.

The Governor-General carefully sat on the desk's corner. "Yeah…listen. Her Sacred Gear is also known as the Holy Grail of the Secluded World… inside the Sephiroth Graal, there's another world called the 'Secluded World' where the previous users and other people live inside the Sacred Gear either eternally or for a while."

"Who's these 'other people', Azazel?" Danhauser asked again.

"In truth? Committed atheists." Azazel said with a shrug. "Since the Sacred Gear System is bugged, don't be too shocked if there are other creatures from different pantheons locked in there."

"What are they doing in there? The atheists I mean."

"Since they don't have a belief in any religion, they're not permitted to pass through the gates of hell or heaven or any pantheon. God of the Bible foresaw this and made this artificial world for them, waiting to be judged on if they are worthy to pass through the gates of Heaven, burn in the flames of Hell, heck even bring them back to life since we're talking about Sephiroth Graal...It all depends on their behavior back when they were alive."

Danhauser frowned. "Isn't this what Purgatory does?"

"Yeah," Azazel nodded. "It literally works like the Purgatory, but the latter is made for those that accepted the existence of God, but they didn't follow His teachings to the letter or are not followers."

It kind of made sense, even if they didn't follow the teachings of any religion, God of the Bible, their creator, loved them despite their gender, race, culture, and philosophies. He offered them a second chance through the Secluded World which, according to Azazel, acted as a waiting room. Valerie was literally the Jailer and Queen of the Damned.

Plus, there's no way God of the Bible is going to allow the souls to wander on the Human World to scare off those who are still breathing and kicking.

"The actual judge…is Valerie, right?" Danhauser hesitantly asked.

"Correct," The crow scratched his neck. "All in all, the reason why the ghosts are attacking her is because of her not doing her job as a judge. She needs to face them."

Danhauser snorted. "She's afraid of ghosts," he pointed out. "Isn't there a way of me accompanying her and talk with them?"

"Nope," Azazel shook his head. "They don't care about you. They only care about the woman who's going to pull them out of that place."

Danhauser clicked his tongue. "I see."

"Good," Azazel hopped off the desk. "Not gonna lie. I want to take a look at the Canis Lykaon…it surprises me that the Inugami is in the shape of a pup when it's actually a large wolf."

"Wait, Jin isn't a dog?"

"So its name is Jin?" Azazel brought a hand to his goatee. "Interesting. Either way, no it isn't, Jin is a wolf. Canis Lykaon is unique among the Longinus…after all it is a fusion of two mythologies, the Greek and Shinto to be specific. Unfortunately, I don't have time. I have a meeting with my associates."

Danhauser just nodded. "I understand. Thanks for your help."

"Yeah, yeah…" Azazel drawled, pulling something out of his pocket. "Here, take this."

Danhauser grabbed it. "A business card?" He said after noticing the Grigori emblem and a phone number. "What for?"

With a look of pity, he gestured at Danhauser's attire. "Since the day I met you. You looked like shit."

Danhauser deadpanned. "Wow. Thanks for noticing."

Azazel obviously smirked, doing a professional swirl to show off his long, maroon trench coat. Danhauser couldn't deny it. He looked pretty badass. "Unlike the Angels and Devils, we, the Fallen Angels, know how to dress given the situation, our taste in clothing cannot be matched!"

"Yeah," Danhauser trailed off, picturing Raynare's clothing. "You guys have great tastes."

What? He's a male in the body of a Devil, a horny creature. Sue him.

But Azazel wasn't lying. Baraqiel, Vali Lucifer, Shemhazai, and even Kokabiel looked pretty much awesome in terms of appearance.

They looked edgy.

But he loved looking edgy.

"From my understanding, your dream is to become the second champion, right?" Azazel brought him out of his thoughts. "You're not planning on becoming the next emperor with those clothes, right?"

Danhauser gazed back with a glint of interest. "…Can I make requests?"

Azazel laughed. "Ha! You have something in your mind already, brat? Yeah sure, you can. It'll cost you more, though."

"I'm sold then," Danhauser smiled and pocketed the card. "We'll talk about this later."

The Governor-General gave a thumb up. "Just use the number whenever you wanna send your request, you can also call me if something wrong is going around the town or need any help involving Sacred Gears."

Danhauser's lip stretched a bit more. "Thank you."

"Don't sweat it," Azazel ruffled his hair and walked away. "It's the least I could do to the brat that beat Vali into a pulp!"

The heir blinked twice in a row. "So, he told you?"

"He hasn't stopped talking about it," Azazel chuckled, twisting the knob open. "Later and good luck with your girlfriend."

Just like that, Azazel left the room.

…

The heir quickly snatched his phone out and searched through his few contacts. Satisfied, he brought the device close to his ear. "Diehauser? I need a favor."

* * *

Days have passed quickly after the visit of the Governor-General. The talk they had and the day where Valerie Tepes became enraged. Few things he had learned from Valerie's Sacred Gear. Unfortunately, Danhauser Belial never had the chance to address it with her, especially when the hybrid wasn't showing any signs of contributing.

But that wasn't the only problem, he had been trying to locate someone who could solve his issues. He knew the face, but he didn't know how to locate him. Thanks to the help of Diehauser Belial, he had the chance to speak through the phone with the man who has the only answer to everything.

It was difficult and he swore he had the device glued to his ear for half an hour. Danhauser had to negotiate with a professional to shake hands with him, even if the Satan was someone with a heart of gold, he would never do something like this without an excellent reason and something in return.

"What are we doing again?" Valerie asked, mildly annoyed. "Don't tell me this is something about my Sacred Gear again. I had enough of this already."

"It isn't," Danhauser assured her, walking to the hallway. "I have a gift for you."

He could feel her eyes trying to petrify his neck, but he shrugged it off.

"Is that so?" she said, distrustful.

Danhauser nodded.

"Couldn't it be another day, perhaps?" Valerie looked away from him. "It's nighttime already."

The heir chuckled. "True. But I doubt you wanted to miss this."

The Dhampir just hummed and ended the conversation.

After minutes of walking in silence, they finally made their way to the main room of the manor. Danhauser laid his hand on the knob, he looked behind to see if Valerie was still there. Ignoring her bored expression, Danhauser unlocked the door and let the girl go first by giving a playful bow.

Valerie rolled her eyes and stepped inside, quickly stopping when her dark, red orbs caught the object in the middle. "A box?"

"Yeah," said Danhauser as he moved beside her. "So? Are you going to open it?"

Valerie narrowed her eyes at him, arms folded. "What's inside?"

"A surprise."

Her eyebrow begged for a twitch, but she remained still. "May I know what surprise I am to expect?"

The gray-haired boy groaned in return. "Valerie. We've been sleeping under the same roof for months now." He told her. "Can you put some faith in me? Just like you did when we talked with Azazel?"

"Should I remind you how _poorly_ it went?"

"Yes, you were pissed off," Danhauser recalled. "But this is different, trust me on this."

"…Fine, have it your way." Casting a final, suspicious gaze at him, the girl took a mix of hesitant and bold steps to the large cardboard box laying in the middle. Surprisingly, the box has multiple holes on top, enough for fresh air to travel inside.

He watched from behind the girl bending her legs and slowly opening the box, only to freeze halfway when her widened eyes saw what's inside.

Danhauser smiled weakly when only a fraction of a second hesitation, she furiously opened the box, her body shook as she began to find excuses to not continue staring at the sleeping figure.

After that, a heavy silence settled over them.

…

She turned on Danhauser like an enraged panther and pulled him tightly by the collar.

"You think this is funny, Belial?!" She growled at his face. "To pull something cheap like this! Manipulate illusions to make this kind of sickening joke?! I expected better from you!"

"..."

"But I should've seen it coming miles away," She laughed, almost cynically. "I was an idiot. T-to think you were different from other devils. In the end, t-the cold-hearted and discriminatory nature runs in the veins, doesn't it?"

"..."

Her grip tightened as she snapped. "Say something!"

Danhauser, unfazed by her tantrum, chuckled softly. "...I thought you never cry, Valerie."

She shakily gritted her teeth. "...A-answer m-me..!"

Danhauser just grabbed her shoulders and spun her around. "Go and see it for yourself."

If it wasn't for the light push coming from Danhauser, she would be unable to move, she dropped to her knees and took a closer inspection inside the box.

"G-Gasper…" She sniffed out, drying her wet eyes and cheeks. "You're alive…"

The Dhampir jumped when the door opened, quickly turning around to spot any intruder beside Danhauser.

And to her surprise, she was alone now with Gasper Vladi.

Her eyes wandered back over his diminutive figure. He was turned away from her, platinum-blond hair shadowing most of his face, breath rasping through his nostrils. He's curled into a semi-fetal position, defensive even in sleep. His expression is relaxed though and, dare she say, very sweet.

Valerie laughed, sounding nostalgic. "You silly… you're still wearing a dress." She softly brushed away a few blond locks from his brow. "And you still look ten times better in it than me."

He murmured and shifted but didn't wake.

She smiled genuinely and sat properly on the floor, enjoying the sight. "Just like old times, right? Gasper?"

Her response was an inaudible snore.

How weird. She wasn't tired anymore. Could you imagine?

* * *

Danhauser Belial woke suddenly, every thought in high definition. His eyes took in every corner of his darkroom and without a doubt, he knows he'd slept too little, yet too much. It was still dark outside, yet it was morning now, around 5 AM if he had to guess.

His eyes wandered over the snoring creature curled on the chair. It was his Rook, Bova Tannin in his small form.

After a second or two, his head turned like some Halloween dummy, mouth slackened. "I'm not tired anymore."

He sat on his bed and stretched, but noticed his weapon lying on a nearby wall.

He smiled a little. "Guess I'll just do the usual." In the blackness, he slid out of bed and moved slowly enough to make no sound, fast enough to reach his spear and leave.

* * *

The sweat trickled down his back, free-flowing like condensation on a window pane, it beaded on his forehead and dripped from his chin. Engulfing his hand with demonic energy, Danhauser Belial fired it to the distanced dummy practice of resin.

The advantages of having control over resin are that you could make constructions with it, fitting for someone with a drive to train like a maniac.

He rushed forward as a tentacle of resin came from the ground, Danhauser responding by striking it where the legs are supposed to be, followed by quick stabs to the 'arms' and a slap of his spear.

His mother, Calcabrina Belial, always reminded him to aim for the legs whenever he has the chance, 'an immobile enemy is an easy kill.'

Meanwhile, his uncle, Malacoda Malebranche, suggested going for the arms, 'a weaponless enemy is an easy kill.'

Danhauser followed both steps.

Building some space, he snapped his fingers and from the middle of the arena, a mass of resin appeared, it almost looked gross.

He looked up and generated a number of magic circles underneath the large lump of resin, unleashing powerful magical beams to annihilate the unfortunate target, followed by a large explosion.

Danhauser smiled with satisfaction, as the lasers kept going even if the resin practically vaporized, turning dense and thicker to the point that it burned a hole in the floor.

And it still kept going.

Just like a certain blue-haired Witch of Betrayal, he named the attack Rain of Light. Of course, this attack wasn't made of Light, he wasn't an Angel nor a Fallen one. It was just pure demonic power, he could also use the Worthlessness version, but it wouldn't deal damage, just nullify the opponent or spell.

Like his Gate of Babylon, Rain of Light was perfect if the user was immobilized. Like when someone's getting trapped in his Pitch Resin of Worthlessness.

 _"Sorry Gasper, I became the Ultimate Trap."_ The heir dismantled the beams and took a deep, exhausting breath. He swirled his spear in one hand faster than a sports car's wheel to distract himself in the meantime.

But his thoughts were somewhere else.

"True Form," He tapped his barbed weapon twice in his shoulder. "How much it would take me to achieve it?"

He always saw True Form as the Juggernaut Drive of the Devils since the former unleashes the supposed true power of the Heavenly Dragons. True Form, on the other hand, discharges the true power of their respective Clan Trait.

In Danhauser's case, it releases the full potential of Worthlessness, rendering everything worthless regardless of its or their will.

But the important question was…

"What would happen if I tried it?" He said, glancing down at his hand. "Here and now?"

Bad things, obviously. Since Sirzechs Lucifer just by triggering it shook the Realm of Hades with ease. But he was a Super Devil, Danhauser wasn't. Yet.

Another point was that Danhauser wasn't ready to completely become Worthlessness.

"But maybe…" he drawled with a faint smile. "If I try to compress it only in my hand…"

There was obviously a consequence, but it was better to try it out now just to make sure what he's going to face in the future. Better get your hand damaged than your whole body on the first try.

With that last thought in mind, Danhauser let his spear fall on the floor and invoked Worthlessness in his left hand.

"Let's do it," He gritted his teeth, shipping all his demonic powers over his clenched fist. His arm protested by trembling, but Danhauser kept it steady with his other hand.

His eyes widened at the sight, in his fingers, he didn't saw the skin, muscle or bones. He saw _grey_. He saw Demonic Energy. He saw _Worthlessness_.

It slowly spread all across his hand, but all his progress ended when pain exploded in his arm and he was pushed by an unknown force.

Or so he thought.

He expected to fly away faster than a cannonball and crash into the nearest wall, but that wasn't the case. Danhauser was spinning and found himself floating in the very center of the arena, he tried using his wings to gain control, but it wasn't enough. Either he was moving very slowly or he wasn't moving at all. He stretched out his only functional arm and discovered the roof was a couple of inches out of reach.

Before he could react, his body froze and instantly, he fell to the floor once again.

"Fuck," he grunted. He looked to the side just in time to enjoy the sight of his weapon stabbing the floor.

"Did I just temporarily nullify… gravity?" He tried to stand up, but a wave of agony suddenly washed over his whole left arm and he stopped moving. He gulped and slowly turned to the source of pain.

To his shock and fear, his whole left arm was badly damaged and colored in black, it expelled a weird liquid, he hoped it was sweat.

Danhauser took deep, trembling breaths. It was the worst burning sensation he had ever felt, even worse than actually being burned or stabbed by Augusta.

Thankfully, rescue appeared when the door softly opened, followed by a quiet gasp.

"What happened?" A familiar voice said as she moved closer to Danhauser. "How did this happened?"

"T-training," Danhauser said with a strained chuckle, looking up to meet those dark, red pupils. "Shouldn't you be sleeping, Valerie? It's still quite dark."

Valerie Tepes frowned and dropped on her knees, putting her healing techniques to work. "I could be asking you the same thing." She shot back. "Stay still. This may take a while."

Danhauser only sighed with relief as his arm slowly began to be cleaned from injuries. He could see from the corner of his eyes the gaze of the Dhampir often studying him intently, sometimes clashing stares, but she never backed away.

The heir just pursed his lips and glanced below.

…

…

…

"…Done," she broke the heavy silence. "Can you properly move your arm now?"

He answered by stretching carefully his arm. "Yeah," he mumbled, sitting leg-crossed. "Thank you."

"…No problem," she properly sat beside him, facing the entrance with a distant look. "No problem."

…

"How did you know I was here?" Danhauser finally said something. "Was it the sound of explosions?"

She shot him a tired, knowing glare. "It's you. You always find an excuse to train." She pointed out. "…But in truth, I first went to your room and knocked on your door. After receiving no response, I theorized you were here."

He knew where this was going. "So you want to talk, huh?"

"We _need_ to talk," she sharply faced him, but her expression slowly softened. "…How?"

Danhauser leaned back, this was going to be a long talk, better get comfortable. "I knew from a friend that his cousin has a Dhampir going by the name of Gasper in her Peerage."

It was obviously a lie, he couldn't tell her he knew about Gasper Vladi long ago.

"But how?" she pressured him. "How did you convince her to lend you, Gasper?"

The heir shrugged. "I talked to her brother, Maou Lucifer," he casually responded. "Thanks to my brother, I could make a call with him. It was difficult since I'm still inexperienced with negotiating and all that stuff… but it went well."

From what he'd heard from Sirzechs Lucifer is that his little sister, Rias Gremory, refused to lend her cute mutated bishop. She was greedy. Expected from a Devil.

"What did you arrange with the Satan?" she asked.

Danhauser sighed. "Your friend has agoraphobia." He felt her blank stare. "He has an unnatural fear of certain places and situations."

She knitted her brows. "How does this answer my question?"

"He has a Sacred Gear that he can't control," Danhauser explained. "I offered my help on that issue."

Since Rias is going to be a character who's going step in the middle of his ambition, by training Gasper, he's in a way helping her out by having his servant have a better grasp of Forbidden Balor View. He only promised to have Gasper handle his Sacred Gear properly, he won't go further than that.

Even so, he's going to still win against her.

As arrogant as it sounds.

"So, Gasper, for now, is going to stay a few days here in the manor," Danhauser continued. "Later he'll teleport back to the Gremory Territory to make contracts for his master."

"But…is he going to come back?"

"From time to time to continue with his basic training and talk with you."

Valerie became silent, glancing down at her hands with different thoughts. "Why?" she asked, clenching her fists. "Why do you keep doing this?"

"Because I owe you one," Danhauser said as a matter-of-fact. "I mean, you saved my life when Augusta kicked my ass."

She suddenly laughed loudly and mirthless, shaking her head in disbelief. "Alright, I'll bite. Who the hell are you really and what are you scheming?"

Danhauser blinked owlishly. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Playing the fool are we?" She retorted cynically. "From the day we met, you behaved to the opposite from what I expected from your race. Regardless if Devils and Vampires views and culture differ greatly, they are identical when it's about looking down those of 'half-caste'."

He waited for her to finish.

"Not only that, but the Sephiroth Graal is right in front of you, the Holy Relic that has the power to erase your weakness against light-based attacks, enhance your body greatly and bestow your miracles beyond imagination. Yet, you never showed any signs to use it for your own deeds."

"Because it would worsen your health."

"And why do you care of my health?" her words dripped venom now. "Why do you keep treating me decently? No one cared for me and—"

"Gasper does," Danhauser reminded her. "My Peerage, my family and I do, too."

"—whenever someone approached it was only for the purpose of using my Sacred Gear." She ignored his words. "Why do you keep wasting your time with me? Are you waiting for me to lower my guard down around you so you can strike and hurt me more? Or is it because I have a Longinus and you want me in your peerage?"

Danhauser leaned forward slightly. He said nothing.

"Just…. just admit it," she looked away and folded her arms. "Since the beginning, when you knew the existence of my Sacred Gear, you wanted to recruit me in your Peerage because I have the Holy Chalice."

…

Danhauser exhaled from his nostrils. "You're right," he emptily chuckled. "Right between the eyes, Valerie. I wanted the Holy Chalice."

"I knew it." The Dhamphir huffed and ignored the sudden sting in her heart.

Danhauser opened his mouth again but stopped when he laughed softly. "Dear Maou. You're going to cringe _so_ badly…" He said when the snickers faded. "…I wanted you because you have the Holy Grail, true… but I want Valerie."

She frowned but said nothing.

"You're smart, strong, I like your morbid sense of humor, your innocent curiosity and you're beautiful," He stated the obvious. "As months passed and whenever we talked and from your actions alone, it's so unfair how little credit you throw to yourself. I mean, because of you I was saved from being killed by Augusta and had the balls to challenge the Top Ten. Thanks to you I'm a step closer to becoming the Second Champion."

He now has to win the future Rating Games and defeat the Top Ten, starting with Ruval Phenex, The Strongest Heir.

The heir massaged his neck awkwardly. "Look, I'm terrible with this type of stuff and whenever I give it a try people cringe. _Hard_." He muttered. "But you're amazing and I like you. Sure, I want the Holy Grail, but I _need_ the angsty girl known as Valerie Tepes."

Valerie stared open-mouthed as if Danhauser produced a dinosaur from his pocket. She unintentionally slipped a hand over her beating chest, the same sensation that she'd felt when her eyes landed over her childhood friend blooming once again.

She was scared.

She'd never felt this before, she doesn't know what this weird, burning feeling devouring her body from the inside is presumed to mean. Is it supposed to be a good thing? Or a bad thing?

Was she going to die from having her organs burned?

"But if you don't want to join, then it's all cool." Danhauser smiled sadly. "I won't force you and you can still stay here. You're free to do what you please with your life, Valerie."

"…"

"However," He quickly added. "I can't let you take Gasper since he's from another Peerage, you'll put my family, Gasper and yourself in trouble if you do that."

"…"

Danhauser pursed his lips. "It looks like you want to be left alone," he noted. "I'll make this quick then, in a few hours, there's going to be a small meeting. I need you there."

"…Describe happiness." She recalled Azazel's words.

He froze to spare her a curious glance.

"I feel like my body is burning," she continued. "I do feel unburdened and able to see without any filters or restrictions because my spirit is weightless. That for me is happiness."

He slowly stood up. "Is that so?"

"Yes," she also left the floor and met his intense, grey eyes. "Can you imagine? A girl like me, using the word…happiness? And being shy about saying it is even more girly, correct? I creep myself out, to be honest..."

He broke into a smile. "Sure."

A hand reached up to toy with the tip of her pigtail, looking away with a small _humph_. "Moving on, from what you'd explained to me, I can't leave with Gasper anymore." She said. "Then I'm left with no choice but to stick around this unbearable place with all of you. No matter what you said, both you and your Peerage will suffer from my presence from now on because…" she made a vague and awkward motion with her hand. "…Yes."

His smile became a playful smirk. "Sure, sure."

"Wipe that cocky expression off your face! You…you… _insufferable_ and…evil man!" She tried to glare but failed. "You understand this is entirely your fault and yet you're still making fun of me? Don't you have shame? Me, acting so ridiculously unsophisticated is something you have to take responsibility from here on."

"Sure, _sure_ , sure…"

"And I just figured out the perfect punishment for you to pay from your selfish acts, after all, I think that would be a fair reasoning…" Valerie smiled, somewhat shyly. "Let me join your Peerage, Danhauser."

That was the moment when he recognized that her smile was different from the previous ones.

This one was innocent and happy.

It was gorgeous.

"Danhauser?" Valerie raised an eyebrow. "Is something the matter? You've been staring for quite some time now…it's starting to make me nervous."

"Sorry, sorry, I was lost in my thoughts." He shook away his trance, smiling clumsily. "Welcome to the team, Little Missus."

Her smile dropped. "Don't call me Missus."

* * *

"Alright before starting this meeting," Tobio Ikuse drawled. "Since when did Valerie have a cute sister?"

All eyes darted over to Valerie Tepes, who had a boy with platinum-blond hair hugging himself closer to Valerie. He looked up at the strangers with his fearful, pink eyes.

"Since never," Danhauser Belial said. "This is Valerie's childhood friend."

"Shocking," Siegfried hummed, analyzing the new face. "For a second I thought they were kindred. If we pushed the hair color difference aside, of course."

"And the eyes," Tobio knelt down in front of the shorter Dhampir. "Hey there! I'm Tobio, nice to meet you."

Jin barked and wiggled his short tail happily!

Gasper Vladi squealed and scooted a little further behind Valerie's leg. "V-Valerie! T-They look scaaaaaryyyyyy!"

The light-blonde haired sighed. "Fear not, Gasper. They won't harm you."

"Liaaaaaaarr!"

Slash Dog blinked. "Wait. Isn't Gasper a boy's name?"

"Well, she comes from the Tepes Faction, just like Valerie," Siegfried hinted. "Maybe her father acted as if she was male since the Tepes Faction has a low view of females in general."

"He smells like a boy," Bova Tannin stopped sniffing the air.

Siegfried scowled in doubt. "I find that hard to believe. Just look at her."

The Dragon grunted. "I never lie. My nose even less."

The brunet met Valerie's gaze that gave off a feeling of amusement. He slowly turned to Danhauser who was fighting a grin.

He sharply turned to Gasper. "Are you a boy? Or are you a girl?"

Danhauser blew air from his nose. "Calm down, Professor Oak."

"Ehehehehe…!"

Slash Dog ignored them.

"I'm-m…!" Gasper looked down, playing with the corner of his skirt. "I-I'm… Umm…!"

"Hey," Tobio tried to squeeze Gasper's shoulder. "Why are you trembling? It's just a—!"

The trap tensed and perked up with tears running in his eyes.

At last, Gasper's eyes brightened and time stopped.

The trap's eyes wandered around the room timidly before ending to his best friend. He squealed. "EEP! Valerieeee! I-I'm so sooorrryyyyyy!"

"Don't worry I bet she won't be mad," someone said and paused. "Nice Za Warudo, by the way."

"W-W-W-What?!" he shrieked, falling on his butt. "W-why aren't you frozen?!"

Danhauser curled a brow, feeling Worthlessness around him like a second skin. "That's a secret." He calmly approached the shut-in hybrid."How long can I move in frozen time, I wonder?"

"N-No!" Gasper tried to crawl away as the devil neared, unfortunately, his back met a wall. "D-don't!"

Danhauser stopped in front of Gasper, reaching for him.

Gasper felt the panic begin like a cluster of spark plugs in his stomach. He clenched his eyes and hugged his body tightly when Danhauser's hand slowly draw near to him.

He felt a finger on his forehead. "Boop," the devil said as his powers suddenly disappeared.

"—question," Tobio finished, blinking cautiously. "Where did he…?"

"Gasper is a trap, Tobio," Danhauser answered with his hand atop the shivering boy's head. "He also stopped time with his Sacred Gear, Forbidden Balor View."

"The Evil Eye that Stops the World…" Siegfried gasped in shock. "That explains why you two were suddenly on the other side of the room..."

"Are you serious?" Tobio gestured at the timid Dhampir. "Is he a dude with a skirt?"

"Really," Siegfried fought back a facepalm. "Of all things, you're worried about his skirt and gender rather than his Sacred Gear?"

Slash Dog scoffed indignantly. "My head is filled with a lot of crap that I'm still trying to grasp with the little time we have right now."

"What's wrong with boys wearing a skirt, Tobio?" Valerie came to the rescue. "Bova is wearing one, too."

"Loincloth," the dragon rectified.

"…Did you just call Bova and me by our names?"

Valerie stood where Danhauser and Gasper are, looking behind her shoulder with a frown. "Yes, I did. Don't you like it?"

He raised his hands in assurance. "N-no. It's just…nevermind."

Bova just rolled his eyes without a care.

"What all of you guys need to know is that Gasper is going to stay here a few days before departing," their King explained. "There's going to be occasions that he's going to come back because I'll train him on how to handle his Sacred Gear. Don't be rude to him during his stay."

Valerie nodded in agreement.

"For a second I thought he was going to join your Peerage, Master," Siegfried commented.

"He won't, but…" he turned to the light-blonde girl. "Valerie, however..."

Tobio's eyes widened with awareness. "Wait? She's going to join?" He heard her humming. "Finally! Welcome aboard, Valerie!"

"Indeed," Siegfried smiled a little. "It's good to have you officially in the team."

Bova just nodded.

Jin barked happily!

Valerie narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "I… wasn't expecting this at all."

"You're fine." The mutated Knight waved her off. "It's just your sense of humor and laugh that freaks me out."

"Either way," she faced her new King."Which Piece are you going to use? Hopefully, not the Queen Piece."

Danhauser's eyebrow went up. "Why not?"

"I don't want to be in charge whenever you're absent," she explained. "It's a heavy role. If I can add my two cents, I think the Pawn Piece would do the job excellently."

"Is that so…?" Danhauser trailed off, doubtful. "I see your point, it has the power to Promote and you can become a Queen…but it would only fill the powers of the Bishop in your case."

She shrugged nonchalantly. "Then I'll practice hand-to-hand combat."

Bova grinned excitedly. "Do you know how to fight?"

"No." She responded flatly. "But I can learn, and with the physiology of a vampire I have it could become handy."

Before anyone could pull out an argument, from the back of Valerie four pair of _spidery_ appendages sprouted free.

Everyone looked with distinct emotions, except Gasper who was surprisingly chill about this.

"Holy shit…" Tobio breathed out.

"Took the words right out of my mouth…" Danhauser watched the large and sharp limbs with hidden horror. She could use them instead of walking with her legs!

"We, Vampires, have the ability to alter parts of our bodies into either insects or arachnids," Valerie passed her fingers over the closest leg. "As you can see, I can change into a spider."

"…I suppose you got this from your father? The Fourth King of Tepes?" Danhauser gulped, not diverting his eyes from her multiple legs.

She smirked at his reaction. "Ehehehehe…Indeed." She finally sheathed them back into her spine. "However, just because I have the ability to morph into a spider doesn't mean my father, Draculea Tepes, can too."

"It's different," Siegfried figured it out. "Your father has a different form."

"Correct," she nodded. "If two vampires of different types of insects or arachnids breed, their spawn will be a random type. Thus, a cockroach vampire and a praying mantis vampire could produce a spider vampire, for example. It also works if they reproduce with another species."

"Now I see why you love spiders so much," Danhauser muttered.

"I like how many eyes they have," Valerie confessed. "I always wanted eight red eyes. Two are boring."

"Sounds superb," Danhauser said, obviously with sarcasm.

Her trademark smile submerged. "We can breed with them, too."

"You need help," Tobio bluntly said.

She just giggled.

"Do you use them often?" Bova asked.

"Just whenever I'm feeling hungry," she replied casually. "It's easy to hunt a squirrel or a bird with these and consume their blood."

"Okay, can we vote to kick her off the Peerage already?" Tobio mumbled. "She's already giving a bad impression."

"Ehehehe…"

"What," Danhauser blinked. "You go to the forest to hunt down animals?"

"Precisely, Danhauser."

"B-But you can't do that!" Surprisingly, Gasper shouted. "Hadn't you told me t-that you dislike it?"

"I still do," she sighed tiredly. "But I don't have other options. I doubt anyone from this manor would be alright with me drinking their blood."

"I would." Danhauser popped in. "Why you never asked me?"

"Because I didn't trust you," she stated dryly. "And it would be awkward to ask you on the first day we met."

"Valerie, it wouldn't." He assured her. "I'd understand."

"Is that so?" She saw him nodding confidently and smirked mischievously. "Fine then."

Suddenly, she closed the distance with Danhauser, the latter raising a cautious eyebrow. "…What are you doing?"

She closed her eyes and smiled sweetly. "Danhauser, can I suck you off?"

"Of course you…" he stopped in realization, but his mouth opened and closed like a fish begging for water.

Siegfried stared. "That came out horribly wrong."

Gasper gasped audibly. "V-Valerie!" he began scolding. "D-Don't be leeeeeewd…!"

"Hmm?" The hybrid tilted her head innocently. "What is your concern, Gasper? I was just asking for a sample of his blood."

Tobio whistled playfully. "Oh, lawdy. Dan the Man's pheromones are irresistible for the opposite sex it seems!"

The Rook narrowed his eyes at the scene. "Is this some kind of mating ritual between other species?" Bova brought a claw to his jaw. "Weird. Really different from my race."

"How's yours?" Siegfried questioned.

"They break into a bloodthirsty fight, whoever stays conscious, stays on top."

"Asking in the name of science here," Slash Dog said. "How do you guys have sex?"

"Very clumsily."

"Fair enough."

Gasper awkwardly glanced downward, trembling like a chihuahua. "I-I am uncomfortable…"

The heir shook his head whenever his brain made interesting footage. "Okay…" he harrumphed loudly. "Yes, Valerie, whenever you want, you can suck me out. The blood, I mean, not _that_."

The brunet snickered under his breath. "Smoothauser."

"Ehehehe…" She grinned sneeringly. "Should I perhaps start-off with the blood on your cheeks, Danhauser?"

"Moving on!" Danhauser clapped twice. "There is something I wanted to talk mostly with you, Siegfried."

The swordsman pointed to himself, surprised. "Me?"

"Yes, you." He scowled. "Tell me anything you know about the Exorcist Jeanne."

* * *

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **reader: Thank you for the ego boost. I really appreciate it, I guess I'll just continue following my way. Don't worry, Diehauser nor Danhauser aren't going to die or be sealed with 666. Also, I love how you guessed one of Dan's future Peerage member back then, lol. Good job and take care.**

 **Guest: Really? Man, guess I screwed up with the Senjutsu, honestly? I got excited to introduce it, that's my bad. Don't worry, him getting Touki and other buffs is where problems starts. And yes, I'll develop his whole Peerage too. Thank you for the criticism, take care.**

 **Guest: Thank you, I'll do my best to not disappoint you.**

 ** **Fateburn: Thank you! Take care!  
****

 **D: Yes, I can see your point and I totally respect it, I'll see what I can do, but don't worry, Danhauser is going tobe hella strong on the canon timeline. By the way, I LOVE the idea of giving Dan an unwanted fan club! You're a genius! And I know who's going to be the president of the club. Thank you for the idea and take care!**

* * *

 **Alright. Since I don't want to make a lot of drama. I'll just say this, sorry for the previous Author Note, it was childish from my part, from now on, I'll wear my diapers so you guys don't have to cringe at my whines. All in al, most of my chapters are going to be 10k, but sometimes, 8k.  
**

 **I appreciate your encouraging comments, so thank you. Really.**

 **People are asking me what's the appearance of Jeanne on my fanfic. Fate or DxD Hero? So I'll make this easier for you, use whichever you like. It won't affect the storyline at all nor the character I'm trying to develop.**

 **Also, since the way I'm making World Building with the Underworld, I will do the same thing with the Angel Faction and those affilated to it. Beware, it won't be as huge as the Devil Faction, but I can promise I will give them bigger spotlight than most fanfics.**

 **However, it'll start when the meeting of each faction leader appears, from now on, I'll give small hints from now on, such as I did with Sephiroth Graal (I'm not done with Valerie's Sacred Gear) and with the help of the lovely Holy Saint.**

 **Lastly but no least, the Dhampir herself, Valerie Tepes. I hope her scenes, her opening up, and her joining the Peerage didn't look forced or rushed. If so, then I'm sorry.**

 **We're also nearing canon for those who are looking forward to it. Maybe four or five chapters and we're in it, but no promises.**

 **By the way, I'll put in my profile the Peerage members in a second, it's going to be updated as the story flows in.**

 **Also, congratulations for those who discovered all the references on this chapter.**

 **Cheers!**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: The Strongest Heir  
**


	24. The Strongest Heir

**Chapter 24: The Strongest Heir**

* * *

"I don't buy it!" Siegfried kept walking restlessly circles in the room like there's a hurricane inside him. "There's no way they're in Kuoh!"

"But they are," Danhauser Belial carefully said, not wanting to irk the Ex-exorcist. "I even talked with them."

The members of the peerage were surprised at the act performed by the silver-haired swordsman, but of course, few of them hid their reactions very well. Even so, Siegfried acting out of character was something to worry about. After all, he always wore a cool head most of the time and when he didn't, bad things tended to happen.

"It's impossible!" He finally stopped in front of the King, eyes blind with denial. "Have they told you their main objective?"

The Heir sighed heavily.

"Could any of you perhaps shed some light as to what's the issue?" Valerie Tepes asked for everyone. "Unlike you two, some of us are standing in the background with no knowledge about the matter at hand."

"Same here," Tobio Ikuse scratched his neck. "Have to agree with Valerie for the first time…"

"In a nutshell," drawled Danhauser. "Three new Exorcists traveled to Kuoh Town for the purpose of convincing the Devils and Fallen Angels to end the hostility between them."

"A peace treaty," Bova Tannin grunted. "That's new."

"New and impossible," the Dhampir scoffed lightly. "Chances of the Old Devils even agreeing to these terms are as low as possible."

"Optimistic as always I see," Danhauser chuckled carelessly.

"Hmhm. Hehe...Ehehehe… I do so love compliments, Danhauser."

"Wait… these Exorcists were the ones you found in Ryoukuu Town?" Slash Dog frowned. "The talk we had on the phone back then suddenly popped in my head. I could be wrong, though."

"Good thing you're not wrong then," Danhauser turned back to Siegfried. "Again. What can you tell me about her?"

"Master," Siegfried said, defensively. "…What are you planning?"

The gray-haired laid a hand on his waist. "I won't do any harm at her," he cryptically stated. "But keep in mind that she's an Exorcist and someone important to me is living in the same town as hers. I rather know what my cousin is currently sharing streets with. I'll fight back if it means to protect my family."

Even if Jeanne had made her debut as a kind-hearted girl who wishes for an end to all types of bloodshed, Danhauser would never lower his stance even to a beautiful face. Even less if is someone involved with the Vatican and Heaven.

Not because of racism, but because their Factions are widely known as archenemies since the creation of Adam.

"What's with your brand-new attitude anyway?" Valerie narrowed her eyes accusingly. "The instant when Danhauser had mentioned them you'd began to make a fuss."

"It's nothing." Siegfried dismissed plainly.

"Bullshit," Bova scoffed. "You still have a soft spot for them."

Siegfried glowered. "So what if I do? I grew up with two of them! Of course, I worry about them!"

"Right. I think it's better if you take deep breaths, Siegfried." Danhauser eyed the trembling Dhampir. "You're kind of scaring our visitor…"

"Plus the fact you were an Exorcist back then turned him into a mess," Tobio added dryly. "Not fond of them I suppose."

Gasper Vladi hid deeper behind Valerie, pink orbs sharply fixated warily on the silver-haired was a nod to Danhauser and Tobio's statements.

Despite all this, Siegfried obeyed his King and filled his lungs with all the air he could inhale. "I'm so… sorry," he exhaled, massaging his aching temple. "It's just… I wasn't prepared to hear his name so soon…"

Valerie just laid a comforting hand atop her childhood friend's platinum hair.

"Which one? Freed?" The King saw the swordsman blenching. "Judging by your reaction I'll take it as a yes."

He obviously knew that Siegfried and Freed Sellzen worked and trained on the same Church back then before the former turning into his first servant, it was just small information given to him by the Light Novels just for the purpose to give them a background and expand the DxD world.

But other than that, he never knew anything else besides that, heck, the talk he had with his Knight during the Arcade Room wasn't something added by Ishibumi, yet.

Siegfried's lips pursed but nodded slowly. "F-fine…I'll talk." he cleared his throat. "When I was a member of the Orthodox Church I was on a team under the leadership of David Serro, a holy sword user and their members were Freed, Lint and I. We were the best team there."

"Could it be this David man that acted as Jeanne's bodyguard?" Danhauser hummed in thought. "Which sword is in David's grasp?"

"Galatine," Siegfried replied. "The holy sword wielded by Sir Gawain in Arthurian legend."

Danhauser clicked his tongue. He preferred if it was Excalibur, Durandal or even Hauteclere. At least he knew their abilities, unlike Galatine.

All he knows so far is that it's really effective against lurkers of the dark, such as them. "He was your Mentor?"

"Correct," he folded his arms close to his chest. "He's the one who taught Freed, Lint, and I the arts of swordsmanship. I was his best apprentice compared to others in the Orthodox Church."

Valerie curved an eyebrow. "Who's Lint?"

"A kind-hearted, young girl," responded Siegfried. "She's the youngest and has a similar whimsical tone of voice like Freed...but without the vulgar accent, thankfully."

 _"Never heard of her and this David in the Light Novels,"_ Danhauser frowned but quickly moved on. "What about Jeanne? Was she also part of the Orthodox Church?"

"No, she's someone from a different and taller category." After a brief silence, Siegfried sighed and leaned slightly on the nearest wall. "I'm honestly baffled none of you heard of the Holy Saint herself. After all, she's one of the most famous people in the facilities."

Everyone remained quiet.

"First of all, she's not an Exorcist. She's a Saint." He observed their confused expressions. "Saint Martha. Saint Longinus. Saint George. They're people officially and authoritatively declared by the Church as holy or virtuous and typically regarded as being in heaven after death…"

"Saint Jeanne isn't an exception," Valerie noted.

"Correct," Siegfried nodded, looking down. "But here's the catch…to become a Saint one must die having a phenomenal scale of holiness, likeness or closeness to God of the Bible."

Everyone, with the exception of Valerie, felt a sharp migraine.

"EEEEEP!" Gasper placed both hands across his aching head. "My heaaaaaad! It huuurts!"

"What the hell was that?!" Tobio shrieked out, frantically looking around. "Magic?!"

"You can't say _His_ name," Danhauser briefly explained behind clenched teeth. "Not anymore, since you're a Devil."

"Oh?" Valerie's irises stretched with curiosity. "Is that so?"

"Yeah." He replied dumbly, not quite understanding what she asked for a few seconds until he noticed her wicked smile. "Wait, Valerie! Don't —!"

"God of the Bible."

Everyone groaned in pain.

"Valeeerieeee!" Gasper screeched. "D-don't do thaaaaat!"

"Do that again and I'm seriously going to crush you," the dragon threatened.

"Ehehehehe…!" Valerie's eyes wandered to every unlucky person with satisfaction. "What a view to behold! I wonder if it's my birthday already."

"Are you always an ass?" Tobio wondered loudly.

She grinned. "Not at all Tobio, sometimes I'm asleep."

Bova growled after his headache vanished, facing Siegfried. "Hold on a second…" he trailed off. "That saint girl. She's still alive and you said to become a saint you must be dead."

Surprisingly, the swordsman shook his head. "Why yes, she's alive… once again."

"Once again?" Danhauser repeated, captivated.

"She came back to life," Valerie answered. "She reincarnated into this world once more."

"Exactly," Siegfried said. "That alone made her name rise up in all the churches. Everyone sees her as a blessing or message from the King of Heaven. That's not the only thing that shocked most followers though…she can hear Voices."

Slash Dog had a troubled look. "So she's schizophrenic?"

"No, no." Siegfried shook a hand. "Whenever she prays, either the Archangel Michael or Seraph Gabriel speak to her through a mental connection that no one else can hear..."

"Was she born with that ability?" Valerie wondered.

"That's correct," he pushed himself off the wall. "To discuss telepathically with Angels of high rank or Him is an ability that most people aren't capable of achieving."

"So what?" Bova grunted. "Why is that so shocking? I bet anyone could make a spell to communicate without moving our jaws."

"I have to side with Bova," Valerie concurred. "I would be way more awed if the girl had a Longinus, mostly the True Longinus or even better Telos Karma."

Bova tilted his head. "Why Telos Karma?"

"Oh my, don't tell me you don't know the abnormal strength of that Longinus?" She saw his blank stare. "Ehehehe… someday I'll explain."

"I can understand why this isn't so amazing for any you," Siegfried stated. "Your opinions about this are because of your culture and dissimilar views from your respective, previous factions, but for those following the teachings of Him, it is the ultimate reward. Besides, to discuss telepathically with famous Angels and to Him is an ability that can't be learned. It's also a fundamental skill for those who wish to become the next Pope, the Ecumenical Patriarch or a Patriarch."

"Wait, the past, present and future Popes needed to have this power?" Tobio said incredulously.

"For the Vatican? Yes, the Pope needs this talent." Siegfried confirmed. "For other installations such as Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church would be the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Patriarch respectively."

"Even if you have a strong heart compared to the previous leaders?" Slash Dog clicked his tongue. "That's kind of unfair."

"That's how it works," he shrugged. "But it does make sense if you take your time to think about it. _He_ needs special people to hear the voices of those in heaven because _He_ is the true leader of all Churches. _He_ needs the chosen Heads to spread _His_ message to the world of the mortals while _He_ keeps an eye out over Heaven and other things."

Valerie hummed, keeping Gasper close to her as much as possible. "How unusual, I always saw them as people who only dropped to their knees and prayed for either forgiveness or an answer... I'd never imaginated them to have a complex system." Her gaze automatically traveled over her future King. She sculpted a smirk. "You were quiet this whole time, anything stuck in your mind that you wish to share, Danhauser?"

To her surprise, his mouth remained an uncharacteristic grim line, gray orbs glaring at his shoes.

Her brows knitted in slight concern. "Danhauser?"

His eyes stretched as he was shaken back to reality. "Sorry, sorry." Danhauser apologized, blinking. "I was just thinking."

Valerie's frown remained still but nodded regardless. "So it seems."

The gray-haired hid his hands inside his pockets. "Either way… she's the original Joan of Arc?"

"She inherited the spirit of Jeanne d'Arc," Siegfried affirmed. "The Maiden who fought courageously in the Hundred Years' War. Though, there's also been a dispute about her not being the Maiden of Orleans and just a lie from the Vatican as an excuse to lead the nonbelievers into following the religious path."

"And on what side are you on, Siegfried?" Valerie asked. "Share your two cents if you would."

"I believe she's the real deal," he responded. "Normally, those that are in disagreement are irreligionists."

"Seriously..." Tobio grumbled. "I swear, this team is a magnet for whatever bullshit this world throws upon us."

"I know right? We're damn lucky," Bova gave a toothy grin. "More foes to bash into the ground. The Utsusemi and stray wizards are becoming easier to kill. We need a real challenge."

Siegfried shook his head. "Things were tense back then…they still are, though."

"Speak for yourself," Bova scoffed.

"The only thing tensed back then was Bova," Valerie dryly commented. "Him getting angrier at the lack of strong foes that is."

"True, true," the battle-maniac dragon chuckled at the memory. "Good thing Danhauser talked me down. Can't imagine you pulling that off."

"Neither do I," she shrugged. "I would have done what I had to do, I suppose."

"Uh-huh. Would you have killed me?"

"If you left me no option? Then yes, of course."

Surprisingly, the rook laughed boisterously. "You have guts. I respect that, Dhampir."

"And here I thought our gang had some internal issues…" mumbled Tobio, sighing. "Glad I was proven wrong."

Jin only nodded.

"U-umm…" Gasper's eyes jumped on everyone, timidly raising a hand. "W-what's an Utsusemi?"

"It's a long story, Gasper," Valerie waved him off. "But don't worry about it."

"O-okay…"

As the group kept their playful banter up, their King went back to his mind. _"Then that means that Heracles of the Hero Faction is, in fact, Heracles the legendary hero written in mythology?"_ Danhauser shook his head, blinded in denial. _"Bullshit. In canon, Sairaorg defeated him with a normal punch and using little force. There's no way he's the demigod who finished the twelve labors which involved a hydra, the Nemean Lion and the Evil Dragon, Ladon."_

Pushing aside the word 'Reincarnation' that Danhauser thought he'd never hear for an eternity or at least until he died and was warped to another anime world. He didn't see Jeanne as Jeanne d'Arc nor Heracles as the champion of the Olympians. Even less with how little strength they showed against Rias Gremory and her servants later on.

Sure, during their debut when they kidnapped Yasaka, they pummeled Rias' Peerage with ease, but that didn't prove enough, not for him at least.

Plus it's very unlikely Jeanne is, in fact, Joan of Arc. Like hell, the Maiden of Orleans would join a group of terrorists whose acts don't benefit humanity in the slightest. Unless brainwashing was involved during her recruitment process to the Hero Faction.

It's obvious there are things that Siegfried doesn't know. So far, the only people who can answer his doubts perfectly are Jeanne herself.

And…

Rudiger Rosenkreutz.

 _"Through fire, nature is born whole, isn't that right Rudiger?"_ Danhauser lamely massaged his nose. "We should stop. At least until we put our tinfoil hats on. If we keep rambling about this we'll just jump into tiring theories that would raise more unanswered questions and toast our brains."

"Well, as long as they don't throw up some trouble in Kuoh…" Tobio trailed off grimly. "Especially when Sae's around school time…"

"They won't," Siegfried assured them. "Freed may have lost a few screws from time to time, but he would never randomly go around to start a killing spree."

 _"I don't buy it, but I won't start a discussion,"_ Danhauser grunted. "I'll hold you to that."

Besides, if something terrible occurred in Kuoh Town, he's going to handle it. With or without Diehauser Belial.

"Hey, isn't your brother's Queen related in some way with the girl?" Slash Dog asked while rubbing his neck. "I know you told us to drop the subject but… they fought together back then, right?"

Siegfried's fist clenched. "Yes, that son of a bitch was a leader in the French army and a companion-in-arms of Jeanne d'Arc."

Tobio winced slightly. "Whoa there."

"Oh my, did Siegfried just curse?" Valerie feigned a gasp but smirked behind her hand. "Hmhmhm. Ehehehe. My intuition is very strong today, and it is telling me this will be a wonderful tale to listen to."

"Gilles and Siegfried don't have the greatest relationship in the manor," Danhauser pocketed a hand. "Before you guys were here, these two were headbutting with one another because of many things."

Mostly because Gilles de Rais defeated Siegfried for his greatest belonging a long time ago. The Strongest Demonic Sword, Gram.

"'Were?'" Tobio parroted, scoffing. "He looks ready to pounce at your butler!"

"You would understand if you were in my shoes, Tobio," Siegfried growled and left it there.

"Huh? No room for arguments then? What a shame. Oh well…" Valerie faced Danhauser with a small, happy smile. "Now that we left behind that lengthy conversation are you going to reincarnate me now?"

Danhauser placed a hand to his hip. "Are you sure, Missus? Don't you want to enjoy your last, _precious_ moments as a Dhampir?" He half-smiled, gaze intense and unfaltering. "Or you wanna join me _that_ badly?"

"As if!" she huffed, glaring to another direction. "I'm just reminding you of our previous negotiation. I can change my mind whenever I want, you get that right? So, you better hurry up before it's too late." She took a long pause. "Stop calling me Missus."

He laughed softly. "Of course, of course. Well, I better make this quick, then."

"…" Gasper became quiet, but his confused eyes went from Valerie to Danhauser multiple times.

The Pure Devil, on the other hand, approached Valerie as he invoked in his palm a box where his belongings were safely kept. He stopped in front of her and pulled his most valuable Evil Piece. "I wouldn't mind you becoming my Queen you know?" He shook said piece. "The offer still stands."

By the studious twinkle of her deep, red eyes, Danhauser thought that he somehow had convinced her on accepting the task. However, when she drew her sardonic smirk and shifted both hands over her curves that proposal soon went to oblivion. "Ehehehe… It is amazing what some people are capable of pulling at unexpected times. Aren't you the persistent type? The answer is still the same, Danhauser and since you're a _true_ gentleman you will respect this _young_ ladies' choice, yes?"

He smiled a little. "Eh. Worth a shot," he tossed the piece upwards a few times, testing its weight.

"You have someone in mind for that piece?" Bova nodded at the Queen. "Who's gonna be second-in-command of the team…? Who's gonna be called as the Right Hand of the Future Champion?"

Danhauser didn't know why, but that placed a smile on his face.

"It depends on what master is looking for," Siegfried commented after calming down. "Someone adept in magic? Strength? Speed?"

"All of them," the King absentmindedly said, sparing a long glance at his strongest piece. "I want someone who uses the three traits of the Queen Piece efficiently and knows how to lead whenever I'm away."

"A Jack of all trades," Tobio surmised. "No offense, boss. But that's plain greed."

He knew he was asking for something huge, since all DxD characters that followed Danhauser's requirements to the letter were at least around Ultimate or Satan-Class, few of them even surpassing those charts.

But he knows he'll become an Ultimate-Class Devil when canon starts.

 _"As I become stronger, my pieces will follow suit."_ He swapped the Queen for a few Pawns. _"They'll eventually become Unused Pieces or maybe few of them are now."_

He'd read it from a short manual given by his school and written by Ajuka Beelzebub himself, each page talked about a specific piece with its main strengths and weaknesses. However, the last notes were about the variations, where Danhauser's attention suddenly lighten up.

So far, two variations are well-known amongst the Devils, such as the Unused Piece that will undergo into drastic changes depending on the master's growth in terms of demonic powers, perfect for the King to reincarnate other creatures into Devils by using fewer pieces.

And lastly, the Mutated Piece, its function is the same: use fewer pieces to recruit other people, but this is way more effective than the Unused Piece. Unfortunately, Ajuka never wrote the secret on how to mutate an Evil Piece, well, just a brief summary that brought many questions rather than answers.

The King _must_ mutate.

Danhauser clicked his tongue. _"The King must mutate for the Unused Evil Pieces to become Mutated Pieces."_ He recited after a brief pause. _"How can I mutate? Perhaps with my True Form?"_

It has to be something similar when Issei's fatal end came by Samael's poison, the brunet came back to life with a body made by the flesh of Great Red and the infinite powers of Ophis, thus mutating into a small version of a Dragon God.

But very unlikely the mutation has to be from exterior forces. It could work, but maybe that's not what Ajuka implied.

"Maybe you're right Tobio, I'm a greedy bastard." Danhauser finally looked up and lifted the Pawns in his hand. "I may have to use more than three Pawns on you, Valerie. Ready?"

The light, blonde-haired girl nodded with determination, shifting closer. "More than ever."

Throughout Valerie's recruitment, the conversation he had with his Peerage minutes ago, his mind hasn't stopped fumbling thoughts about his dear cousin's situation.

The thought alone just brought a crisped chill across his spine.

It has begun.

He knew its happening.

Canon is approaching.

The future of Cleria Belial is being weighed down by the scales of fate.

The question kept mercilessly moving back and forth in his skull, almost making him unaware to his surroundings.

Will she live? Or will she die?

* * *

"What are we doing out here, again?" Danhauser Belial asked for the fifth time, shielding himself from the sun.

Thanks to the efforts of the Four Great Satans the star designed by them did the same functions as the sun in the human world with the exception of weakening them, but he can't deny that it gets tedious over time. Well, they did what they could.

"Again. We're here to give a warm welcome to our guests." His mother, Calcabrina Belial said with a smile. "Shockingly, our guests are none other than the House of Phenex!"

 _"Crap,"_ Danhauser grimaced but remained silent. _"I just hope Raiser and Ravel aren't still scared of me…"_

Since their first Rating Game, the Phenex brothers were afraid of him. The puppy look Ravel Phenex gave him at the end of their match was actually heartbreaking. As if he'd pulverized her brother to another room.

Technically he kind of did. He tried to apologize, but Ruval Phenex told him that everything was all right. Danhauser wasn't relieved, after all, he did traumatize Raiser and his Peerage with his retainers. Sometimes, he worried if his relationship with Ravel has ended because of this.

"I'm starting to believe the blonde magnetism theory, Dan."

"Hilarious and original, brother."

Calcabrina tilted her head. "Am I missing something?"

"I'll explain later," Diehauser Belial chuckled, hands inside his pockets. "Why wasn't I informed about this, mother?"

"Believe me, I was also confused," she said. "They'd never called us to arrange a meeting. If it wasn't for our guards watching over our frontiers, we would still be unaware of this." She brought a finger to his lip, eyes narrowing in thought. "If the rumors of the Underworld are true she makes her plans days or even months before the event. After all, she did organize the marriage of one of her children with the Gremory heiress long ago… this mustn't be one of her schemes."

Diehauser chuckled knowingly. "I can smell the culprit from here. Who else would invade someone's property without making an appointment with the owner?"

Both mother and son shared stares and in a heartbeat, answered simultaneously. "Ruval's coming too."

"Wait..." Danhauser trailed off. "The Strongest Heir is coming here?"

"Apparently," The Champion smirked after spotting the carriage halting on the manor's entrance. "And look at that. They're already here."

"Huh they're fast," Danhauser remarked as they watched the doors opening by the driver. He smiled mildly. "A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one."

The first one to appear was obviously an embarrassed Lady Phenex followed by her tensed eldest son, Ruval, who was rubbing the back of his neck.

And of course, a pale Raiser and trembling Ravel chased from behind.

The Belial family watched blankly as the Phenex family approached. The conversation went ahead with Lady Phenex bowing her head in shame. "I apologize for my son's lack of initiative. I swear the whole Phenex Clan doesn't carry this type of attitude."

"H-hey…" Ruval's eye twitched. "That hurts, mum…"

Calcabrina finally took a step forward. "There's no need for a brawl. Mistakes happen often. Isn't that right, Diehauser? Danhauser?"

"Yeah," Diehauser sided with his mother. "Don't worry about it."

Danhauser's head dipped vaguely in acknowledgment. "All good here."

"Oh! We appreciate your comprehension, Lady Belial, Emperor Belial, Prince Danhauser," the blonde brought a hand to her ample chest, sighing with a fiery passion. "I swear this shall not happen ever again!"

Ruval gave a short, nod of gratitude, before flicking his brother and sister's foreheads. "You two, it's rude to stare at someone and not say a single word." He chided them. "At least greet Danhauser first."

Unlike Raiser, Ravel acted faster by scampering behind Ruval's legs.

Danhauser flinched inwardly, but despite the blunt gesture, he was transfixed over her small messenger bag with a Phenex emblem on it. In the Light Novel, she never carried such thing.

Besides that, she looked adorable in it.

"Oh, y-yeah," Raiser swallowed and looked to the side awkwardly. "A pleasure…"

Ruval and his mother shared a look. They were nearly shaking their footwear out of nervousness. They had absolutely no clue how this was going to turn out.

So far? Not so great.

Danhauser just waved back. "Nice seeing you guys."

Ravel peeked before scooting back to her hideout, her gears working behind her skull as she weighed her options.

If it wasn't by Ruval's encouraging pats, she wouldn't leave her shell and bow to them. "I-I'm happy meeting you again Lord Danhauser…!"

Her mother's eyes relaxed, her worried expression fading a tiny bit. She could blame Danhauser because of her children frightened state, but Ruval warned her that sooner or later, they would face a stronger opponent than them. Unfortunately, it had to be the very first match that turned them into a trembling mess.

Nothing she can do here, even less when her eldest son told her to not intervene on their personal affairs. She'd demanded a further and better explanation but Ruval just banked in a thumbs up.

"Well, now that greetings are over," Diehauser pointed at the entrance behind his shoulder. "We can go inside and talk until the table is prepared for us."

"Lead the way, Emperor." Ruval and everyone followed the Champion.

"We can go to the main room and talk there," Calcabrina said with a welcoming smile. "The maids could serve us something to drink as we burn some time. Plus Gilles is preparing the table for us."

"This is great news to hear. My throat has been dry for too long," Lady Phenex harrumphed with a hand over her neck. "A shame my husband couldn't make it. His job is really tiring him…"

"You know him, mum… the geezer is a workaholic," Ruval looked around. His deep, blue eyes finally landing over Diehauser in a frown. "Is Cleria still living in that town in Japan?"

"Hold on," Danhauser made a face, ignoring the shaky looks of Ravel and Raiser. "Who told you Cleria lived in Kuoh?"

"I did long ago," Diehauser replied before facing Ruval. "Just forget it, Ruval. There's no way Cleria would ever step in the Underworld, she hates the place."

"Man, what a shame," he gave a big stretch as he looked at the expensive paintings unhappily. "She was fun to talk with. I'm gonna miss her around."

"Not only you, Ruval," Danhauser eyed him with slight suspicion. "Hey, you don't mind if I ask you something?"

The Heir of Phenex reached over and patted him hard on the head. "Don't hold yourself back. If you have any issues just speak up. _Shoot!_ "

It was silence after that, just peaceful walking until finally, Danhauser opened his mouth. "Your flames are both Phenex yet are not, right?"

…

"Really now?" Ruval replied eloquently, flashing a grin. "I'm not following. What makes you think that?"

The Heir of Belial felt obligated to humor him. "… During my times in school, I'd learned that Clan Traits are inherited genetically from the Mendelian inheritance." He recited. "Children will either manifest one of their parent's Clain Traits, none of them, or in my case, both of them… but…"

"But…?" Ruval repeated, still grinning.

"… Much more rarely, in the case of few Devils, a child may manifest a Clan Trait that is entirely unrelated to their genetic lineage, but still carrying few identical properties, alike to a mutation." He concluded, clashing stares with the strongest heir. "Your Clan Trait is an irregular-type."

They'd stopped walking since the moment Danhauser spoke, watching the two heirs dueling with only their fierce eyes.

Finally, Ruval broke eye contact, gazing behind his shoulder. "Mum, may I?"

Lady Phenex's lips pursed. "Ask permission from Emperor Belial first."

"Go for it," Diehauser quickly responded.

Smirking, Ruval took a few steps away from the group and immediately invoked his fiery wings.

A Phenex's most notable trait is being able to sprout wings of orange fire for flight. Ruval, unlike the Phenex Clan, has a pair of exquisitely, fiery bluish wings mixed with a tint of yellow over them.

"Hahaha! Correct! That's correct!" Ruval widened out his majestic wings, brightening the whole corridor. "Out of the three abilities that my Clan has, I'm blessed with blue flames that surpass the very high temperature of any Phenex you'd ever heard off!"

"Beautiful…" Ravel whispered, eyes glued to her big brother.

Danhauser also stared at his wings in awe, wondering how would be if Ruval ever achieved the talent enough to use True Form and fight him.

 _"A pain in the ass, I bet,"_ Danhauser grunted inwardly. "Are you the only one with an irregular Clan Trait?"

"Among the Top Ten?" The blond rose an eyebrow, dismissing his wings. "Nope! There's someone else with an irregular Clan Trait too! They call them Worldbreaker."

…

…

…

"…So?" Danhauser awkwardly asked. "What's their name?"

The adults blinked, scoffed and laughed fervently, enough to tint Danhauser's cheeks in red.

Ruval unhurriedly stopped his laughter, grinning down at his fellow-heir. "Yeah sure, I'll give you their home address and three measurements, too."

The gray-haired growled. "Alright, I get it! That was a stupid question."

"I mean, a few weeks back you'd challenged the Top Ten and to an extent the Underworld, in front of the cameras and an audience, for the title as the next champion." Ruval recalled, hands sunk in his pockets. "No way in hell I'll blow the whistle and backstab the Top Ten!"

Danhauser grunted in return. "Worth a shot…"

"But aside from the Top Ten, two of the Four Great Satans also wield irregular Clan Traits," Calcabrina pointed out. "Satan Leviathan and Lucifer respectively."

Danhauser squinted his eyebrows. He had an idea who they were, but he'd expected three of them, not _two_ of them. "I thought Satan Beelzebub also had an irregular Clan Trait."

"No, he's a different case," Calcabrina shivered. "The Astaroth Clan has power over snakes. Ajuka Beelzebub had refined his demonic powers in calculations and creation. That man is truly a _monster_."

Danhauser glared at the roof in thought, surprised he hasn't made a hole in it yet. Serafall Leviathan's mutant Clan Trait is obvious, power over ice in contrast to the Sitri Clan with their water-based expertise.

But Sirzechs Lucifer?

"Could it be Power of Destruction?" Danhauser pondered, turning back to his mother.

"Wrong," Diehauser responded for her, walking once again with everyone following suit. "It's the Gremory Trait."

"They have enhanced and superior control over Demonic Powers." Lady Phenex muttered. "A normal Gremory has double the demonic power… that man must have the _quadruple_ of it. Perhaps even more."

 _"The more demonic power, the longer True Form lasts,"_ Danhauser repeated his father's words. _"But it becomes difficult to control unless you have a good grasp on your spirit. That's where Senjutsu strikes or more specific, Touki."_

Hence the reason for his Senjutsu practice.

"Actually, back in my days, there was someone of the Belial Clan with an irregular Clan Trait, too." Calcabrina tapped her chin in thought. "It was your great-aunt. She's the daughter of the first Head of the House of Belial. _Barossa Bavin Belial_. From _Worthlessness_ to _Nothingness_ … I think we all understand its function... a shame she couldn't make it."

 _"It could erase any ability, forever,"_ Danhauser whistled. _"Cool, a middle name. I like those."_

Diehauser cringed. "Seriously, what's with the first generation giving their children a weird middle name? I never understood the reason behind it."

"Same here," Ruval shrugged. "Maybe they thought having long ass names makes you look cool."

Lady Phenex yanked his ear. "Don't swear in front of the children, Ruval."

The strongest heir flinched in pain but nodded awfully. "Y-yes mum."

As his mother let go of his red ear, he glared down at his amused brother and sister. "Laugh it off, you two." His fixed stare drifted over Ravel, smiling dangerously. "Mostly you, Hummingbird. I'll get my revenge throughout our training."

 _"Training…?"_ Danhauser's eyebrow went up and gazed at Ravel, who looked down with a blush.

"It was a tradition between us," Calcabrina responded Diehauser's question. "Commonly, we used the initial letters of our respective Clan and use them for the names and middle names... plus in a way, its easier to identify them, after all, they are as important as the Elders, their parents."

"But there are Devils from other young generation who do have middle names," Lady Phenex reminded her. "It's very uncommon, but still…"

Lady Belial shrugged. "I never stated it was prohibited."

"It still sounds awful to me." Diehauser plainly said. "Thank Maou I don't have one."

Calcabrina smirked a little, hands over her endowed hips. "Hey now, little did you know, I'd wanted to give both you and Danhauser a middle name, too." Her smirk evolved into a grin after seeing his lip twitch. "After all, the whole Malebranche Clan is from the _first_ generation, too."

Diehauser made a face. "You wouldn't."

"Oh, _I_ would!" the mother giggled behind her fingers. "Even your uncle supported my idea but your father had to be a killjoy and stand against it."

"Not all heroes wear capes," the emperor sighed with relief.

"If father accepted, what would our middle names be?" Danhauser asked aloud.

Calcabrina stared at Diehauser.

Diehauser stared back.

Finally, she smiled maliciously and puffed her chest with pride. "Diehauser _Demiourgos_ Belial and Danhauser _Demiurge_ Belial."

"…Remind us to thank father one day."

"Well, excuuuse me," Danhauser scoffed, offended. "But unlike you and your bad tastes, I do like the middle name."

Diehauser's face wrinkled. "Don't talk to me ever again."

The Heir returned the smile. "Fine by me. Never planned to do so."

"I really hope you join us in the rankings one day, Danhauser." The strongest heir suddenly said. "Even if you have to defeat me."

Danhauser blinked, twice. "… Thanks for wishing me luck?" he vaguely answered. "But why, though?"

The Heir of Phenex rolled a shoulder. "I love Ars Goetia… if we push aside its glaring flaws." He explained. "Look, the Top Ten are seen as heroes of the Underworld… unfortunately, Diehauser and I are the only ones representing Ars Goetia. Meanwhile, the rest are affiliated or come from…"

"The Extra Demons," Danhauser finished for him, now grasping his worries. "Yeah, I can see your reasoning."

"Nothing against them," Ruval sighed faintly. "But it just gives a bad impression to us, the 72 Pillars... that's why I joined the Rating Games."

Danhauser gave a fearless smile. "Don't worry, Ruval, I'll defeat all of you in a blast, starting with you."

Diehauser smiled but stayed quiet.

Ruval, on the other hand, cocked his head and cackled. "So confident!" He shook his head in a mix of disbelief and amusement. "What makes you think you'll win?"

"I'm a Belial."

The blond looked down at him with a smirk, a glint of energy over in his eyes. "Don't sing victory yet, Danhauser."

* * *

The table had been prepared for the Belials and Phenexes for quite the time. The older people were the ones that carried the conversation. Meanwhile, Danhauser Belial was stuck on playing with his dish with the assistance of a fork, even if his mother had constantly chided him for playing with his food.

He'd tried. He really had, but the uneasy and quickly glances coming constantly from left and right had made it difficult to avoid.

Ah yes, he'd been sitting between Raiser Phenex and Ravel Phenex.

It was overwhelming, he'd never felt hunger because of it.

Thankfully, the feast had ended just minutes ago, but before he'd hopped from his seat and go exhaust his muscles out, a timid voice had stuttered his name.

However, her next words had caught him by surprise.

"P-Please come with me!"

And thus, the blonde ran whilst holding his wrist.

Of course, he could retrieve his arm back just by using small force and end this pursuit, but he wasn't a full asshole, just a quarter.

Not even minutes before they slowed their pace and therefore reached their destination.

Ravel maneuvered her hands over her knees, taking deep breaths. "Huff! A-ah! I-I almost fainted!"

Danhauser couldn't help but chuckle, his body not the slightest tired. "It wouldn't hurt you exercising once in a while, Ravel."

The Phenex tilted her head. "Eh? Back in the Phenex castle, I use a bike that mummy has stored in her room." She pointed at her herself with pride. "So I don't particularly need more exercise than this!"

"Tsk, tsk," he massaged his chin in thought. "That won't do. I'd already grasped how athletic you are... with my training schedule you would lift dragons."

She paled a little. "F-Forget it! I don't want a complete muscle-building menu!" She shrieked, shaking her fists violently. "If I become a big mass of sweaty muscle, I'll totally lose my cuteness!"

He smiled encouragingly. "Hey now, don't be like that." He playfully berated her. "A little workout and you'll fill the role of a rook in no time. I bet your family is looking forward to seeing a bulked-up Ravel Phenex."

"W-what are you saying?!" Stammered a blushing Ravel. "T-there's no way I'll ever accept that! Never! Ever! Eveeeeeeer!"

"Damn, never lucky," Danhauser feigned a sad sigh. "Then why'd you bring me here?"

She froze and her blush darkened, quickly fidgeting as her shy demeanor arose. "R-right. I-I almost forgot." She paused a little. "Excuse me, Lord Danhauser... A-actually, never mind..."

The Heir frowned. "Wha—!"

"... But, actually... Um, well... Maybe you still remember your match against my brother?" She asked in a quiet tone.

"..." Danhauser's lips turned thin as he silently nodded.

She looked down, playing with her messenger bag. "When you defeated my brother... I watched the outcome and what you'd done... It's, um, embarrassing... But I just wanted to tell you... Well..." She finally met his gaze. "...That was amazing."

He just stared at her tongue-tied. "H-huh?"

"The way you bravely stood up against those among the Top Ten and declared your ambition to the whole Underworld made me all super happy." She gushed out. "It reminded me of one of my favorite comics, a human marine who finds himself fighting the army of hell."

"I-I think I know who you're referring to," he felt his face heating up. "And there's no way I could be as awesome as him."

She wore a distant look. "Even so, there was a thought that made me worried... what if you suddenly lose a Rating Game?" Her eyes went downcast. "I'd be sad if that ever happens... I don't want you to lose a game."

Danhauser zipped his mouth, letting her continue.

"I want you to be the next champion," she suddenly declared. "That is what has driven me to do my best in all things. But now I realize there's a limit to what I can do alone. T-that's why I decided to start practicing on using more my abilities with the help of big brother Ruval!"

His grey eyes stretched in realization. "Wait... are you...?"

"S-so now...I have s-something to ask you first. Would you consider thinking of r-recruiting me?" She shyly asked. "I-I know it's so sudden and I'll understand if you don't want me because we had underestimated you before the match." She clasped her hands. "Even if you decline, I-I won't stop my training and support your ambition!"

There was no need of weighing his options, the answer was pretty obvious. He shifted a hand to ruffle her hair, whilst the other summoned a chess piece, a bishop. "See this piece? It has your name engraved on it." He furrowed his eyebrows. "I'd love to have you on my team, Ravel... but are you sure you want to join now?"

Danhauser didn't mind if she became his bishop, the problem was him and his business with Satanael, Hexennacht, Utsusemi Agency and perhaps the Wizards of Oz. Plus add the fact that now that Valerie Tepes has become his pawn, he may have made a new enemy that involves the most dangerous faction of Khaos Brigade.

 _"Qlippoth,"_ Danhauser fought back a glare. _"...I'll have to summon my inner keikaku and find a way to counterattack."_

She looked up at him behind her golden bangs. With a smile, she reached for the piece, only to take a hold of his hand and close it. "No, not yet." She agreed. "I... I'm still weak for me to join your Peerage. I don't want to become a burden for you and your servants... I'll work for it!"

"So you'll join in the future then," Danhauser vanished his evil piece. "Then I'll wait for you, do your best, understood?"

Her spirits lifted up. "I-I will. I hope I'll never lose your kind support. I know you'll never lose mine!"

Suddenly, a thought lightened up his brain. "What's your dream, Ravel?"

She gave a happy hop. "For you to become the next champion! That's my dream!"

Danhauser's lips pursed. "That won't do..."

Ravel tilted her head, concerned.

"Interesting enough, all my Peerage members have a goal set in mind," he explained. "One of my knights wants to be the strongest swordsman in the world, the other wants to find Mount Huaguo. My rook to become a Heavenly Dragon. My pawn..."

To find someone important to her, Gasper Vladi.

And she finally achieved it. Her goal. Now, what purpose does Valerie Tepes have in mind?

"L-Lord Danhauser...?" Ravel called out. "Are you alright?"

Danhauser shook from his trance. "Yeah, sorry." He cleared his throat. "What I'm trying to say is don't you have a goal of your own that doesn't resolve on helping mine?"

The blonde discreetly looked down at her tiny hands, clenching and unclenching them, she finally looked up and shook her head sadly.

The gray-haired Devil patted her head. "Well, now it's a great moment to start."

"But... how?"

Before Danhauser could say a word, the echo of footsteps captivated them, he was forced to look behind and to his surprise, it was Gilles de Rais guiding Ruval Phenex.

His curiosity inflated after spotting his mutated knight, Ikuse Tobio, with his Sacred Gear, Jin.

"There you are!" Ravel's eldest brother said. "I knew you'd be with Danhauser, but you two weren't in his room or playing outside. I've been trying to find you for hours!"

The blonde girl winced in response. "S-sorry! I-I never meant to—!"

"Calm down," Ruval instructed, patting her head in comfort. "As long as you don't run off into a forest or somewhere dangerous then you will not be in trouble."

Ravel just nodded, relief washing over her.

The strongest heir swirled around to face Danhauser. "So I guess you and my little hummingbird sorted things out, eh?"

After greeting his brother's queen and his knight, Danhauser stole a peek at Ravel before turning to Ruval. "Yeah, it was just a misunderstanding, let's just put it behind."

The Heir of Phenex grinned. "What's past is past. I couldn't agree more!" He laughed a little. "I wanted to know you better, but sister stole you from me and we're in a hurry now. I'm just here to pickup Ravel."

"A-Ah before we go!" Ravel quickly scavenged something from the depths of her cute, messenger bag. With success by her side, she offered the item to Danhauser. "T-this is for you..."

He gladly took it and gave it a closer inspection. "A Phoenix Tear." He looked back at Ravel. "You made it?"

Fidgeting, the girl nodded. "Yes, it's the first Phoenix Tear I've ever made..."

Danhauser offered an apologetic smile. "Thank you, sorry if I don't have anything to return."

She smiled back. "Don't worry! I'm glad you like it!"

"We have to go, Danhauser." Ruval gave a thumbs up. "Looking forward to our future match! You better not disappoint!"

"Ah, Prince Ruval, shall I escort you to the exit?" Gilles took a step forward. "This place is huge, I would be biting my nails if you somehow got lost."

The Phenex Heir waved off his proposal. "All good, Gilles. I've already memorized this place like the feathers of my wings." He paused. "Tell Diehauser to say hello to Cleria on my part!"

Without any further ado, the members of the Phenex Clan spun around and left, Ravel jumping in circles around her eldest brother in joy.

"She seems happy," Tobio noted. "Why, though?"

"She saw a viral video of when I challenged the Top Ten on camera," Danhauser's cheeks dusted with red, pinching his nose. "While I appreciate her compliments... I think she exaggerated it."

"She is just an innocent child, young master," Gilles countered. "They easily get amazed to whatever they categorize as cool."

"And since you challenged those worth to be a Satan in terms of strength alone..." Tobio drawled. "Pretty much justified her fangirlism."

Jin barked in agreement!

"Or take Tannin as an example," the butler added. "He is pretty much famous among the children of the Underworld for his appearance alone."

 _"Or like Issei and his Oppai Dragon show,"_ Danhauser pocketed the Phoenix Tear. "Right. Moving on..." He harrumphed his eyes fixated on his servant. "Where's the rest?"

"Valerie is with Gasper," Tobio responded easily. "Bova is training by firing his flames at a huge rock and Siegfried has been locked in his room since our previous meeting..."

Danhauser bit his tongue. _"Damn... the news punched him in the face hard..."_ he stole a side glance at the queen. _"Not a good idea to talk about this in front of Gilles."_

A swift magic circle shaped besides Danhauser's ear, the latter hesitantly answering the call. "Hello?" He said, listening to the familiar voice as his eyebrow jumped slightly. "Mephisto, what is it?"

Tobio's eyes widened. "Is this about the Utsusemi—!"

Danhauser pointed to the magic seal clipped on his knife-shaped ears and then placed a finger at his own lips.

Slash Dog caught on as he saluted. "Be quiet, got it."

The Pure Devil gave a brief nod and turned back to the conversation. The talk wasn't as long as they'd expected to be, it was business, professional and straight to the point.

"Alright see you there, Mephisto," the magic circle disappeared whilst Danhauser turned to his servant. "Get moving, Tobio." He ordered. "Hanezu has finally spilled the beans. They finally found out Utsusemi Agency's former hideout."

"Fucking finally!" Tobio fist pumped the air. "Alright boss! I'll get the rest and—!"

"Don't," the King interrupted, surprising the brunet. "We don't have time and Mephisto wants us there already, just the two of us."

"Young Master, a word please?" Gilles said, worried. "I could prepare the teleportation circle and send you to Lord Pheles' location... but for your own safety and your servant, I shall join as well."

Danhauser half-smiled. "Thanks for worrying, Gilles," he said. "But that won't be necessary. Mephisto, Tannin and Pater Perdurabo are coming too."

"Pater Perdurabo," the blue-haired repeated with a chuckle. "Ah, your brother's bishop is finally making his debut? Heh, then I have nothing to worry about, you are in safe hands already." He bowed like a true butler. "However, I shall send words with your brother and mother."

"Please do," Danhauser paused. "Can you still teleport us away?"

"May I know the destination?"

"Ryuukou Town."

* * *

Having passed through the masterful spell that had teleported Danhauser Belial and Ikuse Tobio to Toujou Sae's house, the two had been called by Mephisto Pheles himself to invade the building that'd served as headquarters for the Utsusemi Agency.

They'd expected the Mephisto and Tannin to participate, but to their surprise, Lavinia Reni also joined the raid team.

Danhauser nor Tobio raised any objections, on the contrary. The more the merrier.

Pater Perdurabo was the only one absent, by orders of Mephisto to squeeze more information from Himejima Henzeu's mouth. After all, thanks to Diehauser's Belial's bishop, they'd discovered the hideout. Grauzauberer's headmaster vowed that the man himself would appear later on.

They had to use the teleportation spell once again since the secret base wasn't situated in Ryuukou Town nor Kuoh Town or even Kyoto, it was a zone far away from civilization, where nature ruled with an iron fist rather than a human conqueror.

Of course, with few exceptions such as the Agency and Hexennacht.

They were in an unknown territory that the enemy had control over it, but fear didn't lick their spines, even less when a Dragon King was keeping them company with a keen eye.

From the outside, the secret base appeared to be an abandoned storage barn. Rusty barrels of noxious chemicals were littered around the entrance, each labeled with a skull and crossbones. Tall weeds grew between the stones and the fence was almost falling over. Hardly high security. Nobody cared about what was above ground, all that was just owned by The Utsusemi so that nobody else could develop the land that was over them.

Inside the barn carried the same level of quality as the front, the same oxidized and empty barrels spread almost everywhere, with hay far distanced from the toxic wastes.

Tannin stayed outside, because of his gigantic size, it'd be impossible for him to make it inside, plus they'd need someone who could guard their backs.

Little attention they'd spared the appearance of the pseudo-barn, they merely went back to business and walked to the exact spot that Pater Perdurabo had told them to.

With minimal effort, they succeeded in breaking, pushing and throwing away anything that barred the entrance to the sanctuary.

Tossing a block of hay out of the way, Danhauser took three steps back, studying the secret entrance for a second.

"An elevator," Lavinia broke the silence. "Pater Perdurabo was right."

"For how long were they planning this crap?" Mephisto eyed the obstacle with disdain. "Just by looking the entrance alone tells me that it took them years to acquire all the materials to design their artificial sacred gears and fill this place with cutting-edge technology."

"If just by glaring at the elevator shocked you, you just wait what's beneath us," Danhauser said.

"Just how much cash they had to use," Tobio wondered. "Most likely half of this was stolen, though."

"Unless Satanael stole Azazel's credit card, I can't see any other way," the heir agreed.

The elevator's entrance was white as marble walls, with no buttons to invoke the magic box. Lavinia pressed her thumb against a small glass panel. A sensor read her fingerprints, refuted them, and beeped, followed by a bright, red color.

"Access denied," Lavinia read aloud. "Only Utsusemi members, Hexennacht or Satanael can use it, I presume."

Danhauser once again stood close to the elevator. "Plan B then," as he said that, he forcefully slid the doors open, listening how the doors stubbornly fought back, but no avail.

Looking down the elevator shaft Danhauser almost lost his posture. Yet if they didn't get down there their options for search clues were limited. There were metal walls on every side, cables and a counterweight, deeper in the abyss was the elevator itself, a black box moving up and down at the mercy of their owners.

One slip and a mere human would be nothing but a bad smell that they'd locate next years after their rotting corpse made the shaft putrid. Danhauser pretty sure would survive the fall with his body structure being way enhanced than your average joe.

A soft hand squeezed his shoulder. "Can I," the only female whispered as Danhauser moved aside.

The heir just watched how the blonde beauty summoned a small chunk of ice and toss it inside the shaft, watching it disappear in the dark.

...

...

...

The shatter at last echoed.

Slash Dog whistled. "Damn, that's deep." He stated the obvious. "Its like they were trying to reach the Underworld with just shovels!"

"I'll go first," Danhauser offered. "But I need someone watching my back."

"Count me in," a strong voice said. "As long as you watch mine, of course."

Everyone spun around and froze in shock for a second.

Before them, floated a mini Tannin.

The Meteor Dragon frowned. "What's with the faces? I had to reshape my size to fit in the barn."

"You're so cute!" Lavinia squealed behind her hands, unintentionally hiding her blush. "Can I hug you?"

"What? I'm not cute! I'm a warrior! A former Dragon King!" Tannin bared his fangs to look threatening, but it was the opposite. "And no, you can't!"

Mephisto chuckled.

Danhauser smiled in amusement. "Thanks for keeping me company, Chibi Tannin."

"Let's not waste more time," grumbled Tannin as he slowly neared the gray-haired devil. "Just give the call, Danhauser."

The Heir nodded and took one last peek at his personal void. He'd noted that the elevator shaft is small enough to impede Danhauser to invoke his bat wings.

 _"Guess it'll be a leap of faith,"_ Danhauser sucked in a deep breath.

With a single movement, he relaxed his muscles, checked behind his shoulder, give a last nod, and jumped.

Everything was a blur. The wind hammered into his face. His eyes were being sucked into the backs of their sockets with the sudden acceleration. Then the whirl of color black settled into the familiar sight of the elevator's roof only now it was far bigger.

He felt the impact from his feet as he landed inside the elevator with ease, but the pain hasn't made it in his system.

Grabbing himself by the silver handrail, he gave his legs their well-earned stretched.

Danhauser dusted his attire and perked up just in time to see Chibi Tannin passing through the fresh hole while flapping his small wings.

"Are you alright, brat?" Came the voice of Mephisto from upstairs. "That was a nasty sound."

Before Danhauser could answer, someone from above won him over. "He's alright," The brunet said. "I bet he knew multiples ways to land safely, but the boss is just showing off to look cool in front of—!"

"You're a real piece of work, aren't you Tobio?" Danhauser glared up. "I can hear your crap from down here, you know?"

There was a silence before a 'duh' followed by a feminine giggle from the upper floor.

"Fucking clown," Danhauser said under his breath, fighting back a half-smile.

"You think this place still has a few foes wandering around?" Tannin asked.

He slowly closed his eyes and triggered his Senjutsu vision. Satisfied with the results, he said. "I don't think so," Danhauser replied, opened his eyes. "Most likely there's a few inactive Utsusemi. But keep your guard up just in case."

"Whenever you're ready, Danhauser."

The Heir of Belial was surprised with working alongside a Dragon King. Comparing Tannin with his son, Bova Tannin, it was a huge difference in terms of personality. Both of them have a blunt and a warrior-like attitude, but the father knows self-control while the child slightly does.

Honestly? It was exciting to work with a Dragon King and someone from the Top Ten. He felt a tingling sensation in his stomach whenever he thought about it.

Shaking his thoughts away, Danhauser once again slid open the elevator's doors, coming face to face with the former headquarters of the Utsusemi Agency.

Upstairs? Was just a mere abandoned barn that no one dared to because of ghosts or any other excuse.

Underground it was a different story.

"Woah," As soon as they set foot there, Danhauser was blinded by the Arclights that beamed down from above. With Tannin, he observed the huge hidden base, the walls—half-naked rock, half polished steel—lined with computer equipment, electronic meters, machines that blinked and flickered with a life of their own.

Not letting the scenery distract them too much, they moved onwards while looking from left to right. There was a maze of titanium rooms each either with inactive Utsusemi or loaded with talismans or staffs.

It reminded him of Resident Evil, like one of the Umbrella's laboratories infested by zombies.

As they progressed down, the two halted in front of a gate.

"It won't budge unless we have a password," Danhauser commented.

Chibi Tannin rolled his eyes. "Just punch it, you're strong enough."

The Heir of Belial stared at his hand for a while. "Let me try something else," he pressed his palm over the glass panel and warped Worthlessness over it.

He guaranteed that a shower of sparks and a deadly explosion would come up after getting through its system. Thankfully he was wrong and the gate merely slammed open.

With nothing more than this, they were driven to move forward, Danhauser hacking through any gates that required authorization, the place where the Devil and Dragon ended was a vast chamber, the place big enough for Tannin to return into his gigantic form.

"Dead end," Tannin slowly scanned the area, eyes narrowing dangerously. "What's that?"

Danhauser followed his gaze and felt his mouth turn dry.

It was a bizarre display with countless of what appeared to be cultivation tanks lined up. The cultivation tanks were connected to capsules laid out horizontally. Throughout this room, there were cultivation tanks and capsules visible everywhere.

"I...I don't know," Danhauser trailed off, shifting closer the machinery. He placed his hand over the glass and gave it a proper look. "... There's something inside."

Thereupon, submerged in green liquid, he noticed a human being in there.

"Holy shit," the gray-haired Devil walked backward in shock. "There's a human in there!"

"It's same for the other tanks," Tannin noted from the other side. "You think they're the kidnapped students?"

Danhauser pursed his lips and hesitantly inspected the unconscious human once more. It was a female with a matured body and slight age lines are under her clenched eyes. She looked old to be a student.

"No," he finally responded, glancing at the dragon from his shoulder. "Those in here, they are the parents of the boys and girls who were turned into Utsusemi."

A small, imaginary truck formed out of nowhere and rammed into Tannin's head at full speed, hiding the floor with his scattered thoughts. Back in the real world, the dragon king stood there, arms folded and gazing from left to right constantly, processing what he'd just been told.

"Well, fuck," Tannin's voice came extremely flat.

"Exactly."

"You were already aware with how the Ryoukuu High School students' families all _suspiciously_ changed residence? Apparently, they were all currently here." Tannin growled. "Why leave everything behind, though?"

"Good question," Danhauser massaged the bridge of his nose. "Let's report back to Mephisto first and ask questions later."

The dragon nodded.

* * *

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **reader: I know you have an account, but I'd forgot to answer your questions. No, bighorn sheep are not Issei and neither is Cleria joining the Peerage. Take care!**

 **Guest: Your cholesterol level rising? Guess I did a great job. Lol, I'm glad you liked the chapter. Take care!**

 **King Gilgamesh: Holy shit. It took me a while to understand what you meant, I'm a fucking dumbass and to an extent, Danhauser too. Glad you liked the scene of Jeanne and don't worry, Danhauser will have time alone to plan stuff. Take care!**

* * *

 **Hey guys, sorry for the super late update, life's a pain in the ass and college is whispering into my ear right now. Horrible.  
**

 **Now, I have to say this, we're getting _really_ close to canon. Thus there's not going to be action in the future chapters, only two fights in total. It'll mostly be worldbuilding, politics and character development.  
**

 **You could say this is Cleria's Arc, where her fate is going to be decided by yours truly. Which it'll be around four or five chapters, counting this one. No promises.  
**

 **And yes, I have everything planned. I know the future of Cleria and the House of Belial itself. Oh boy, I'm looking forward to writing that chapter.**

 **:)**

 **Moving on, now I have an idea of why people don't want to give some worldbuilding to the Angel Faction, because of religion and how some followers are strict of it, kind of scary tbh. So, I'll say this, I took inspiration from said religion, but I also added my few tweakings, you've been warned.**

 **Ah yes, Ravel. Honestly? I'm someone who always gets worried about this type of stuff, but at the same time, I have fun writing about it. Just like Valerie's development, I hope it wasn't forced at all.**

 **And finally, the Peerage. I already know who's going to be the Queen, it'll be the final piece to join Danhauser's Peerage.  
**

 **People were sending me PM's of trying to guess Danhauser's Peerage. Mostly the Bighorn Sheep and Octopus, mostly the latter.**

 **Man, I feel bad. The reason why the octopus motif its because I imagine their appearance to look akin to an octopus. Yes, this character hasn't made their debut either in the LN'S nor the anime, yet at the same time, they did in the LN.**

 **I'll give three hints of the Octopus, they contain spoilers so it's up to you if you want to read them, you don't have to do this, though, you can wait.**

 **But if someone guesses it, I won't say who, but I'll maybe just say someone did it.**

 **Ready? Go.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **1 It's considered Evil.**

 **2 It can tame Evil.**

 **3 It was killed by a god.  
**

 **.**

 **.**

 **Good luck.**

 **Now, the Bighorn Sheep. I won't give clues, this one's easy.**

 **I'll do my best to update the next chapter ASAP... no promises tho.**

 **Cheers!**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Pater Perdurabo**


	25. Pater Perdurabo

**Chapter 25: Pater Perdurabo**

* * *

"We finished researching the rooms," Ikuse Tobio approached them, followed by Jin and Lavinia Reni. "Nothing useful to track down Satanael and his group. Just white coats, canceled Utsusemi, business suits, and Hexennacht's uniform."

"What about the computers?" Mephisto Pheles asked the ice princess. "Anything that we could use in our favor?"

Soror Demise tipped her witch hat, obscuring her uneasiness. "I'm so sorry Pops," she sucked air. "But all the files they saved on the computers were erased."

"Shit in my ass," Mephisto cursed under his breath, fists clenched. "They're playing us like fucking fiddles!"

"Are you sure there wasn't anything on the computers?" Danhauser insisted. "You guys checked each folder?"

Slash Dog's shoulders collapsed dejectedly. "We ain't found shit, boss."

The king clicked his tongue but raised no arguments.

"I'll still contact Azazel and tell him to double check on the computers, just for safe measure," Mephisto grumbled as he tried to sit comfortably on his floating throne.

The heir looked around, noticing the magicians of Grauzauberer flying near the roofs, some of them acting as bodyguards, inspecting the tanks or find any clues that the group may have missed.

"What's next?" The devil returned to the group after Tannin spoke. "What's our next move?"

"Take the families out of the tanks obviously," Mephisto replied bitterly. "We can't let them endure this torture."

"Agreed," Lavinia nodded firmly. "Then we should prepare a teleportation circle to teleport all of them back to Ryuukou Town."

Slash Dog rubbed his hands with resolve. "We should also erase the memories of them getting kidnapped by the Utsusemi." He added. "But first, let's free these poor people!"

"But do we have to?" Danhauser blurted out, getting baffled stares from everyone. He facepalmed in return. "I fucking said that aloud, didn't I...?"

"Yes, you _fucking_ did, you donkey," Mephisto snarled, clearly triggered. "So you prefer to keep these unlucky bastards suffering in those damn tanks?"

"Yeah, what the hell, boss?!" Tobio snapped.

Danhauser winced at their tones. "Well," he scratched his neck. "...Suffering is a _harsh_ word."

"Explain, quickly." Lavinia coldly demanded.

The Pure Devil groaned in return. "Why am I suddenly the villain here? Look, I'm suggesting this for their protection." He saw their blank stares. "... What's the purpose of the Utsusemi Agency?"

Mephisto frowned with suspicion. "Complete the Four Fiends Project and attack the Five Principal Clans," he skeptically responded. "How does that saves you from your incoming beating?"

"I'm getting to that," Danhauser cleared his throat. "They have two of them, one of them being an agent of the Grigori, Natsume."

Lavinia flinched at that, looking away ashamed.

"To find any clues of her disappearance and the agency's location we had to investigate her house," he continued. "We were lucky there weren't any traps, but what about from the two hundred and thirty-three empty houses that we never considered on searching?"

Mephisto hummed. "Now I get it." He sank deeper on his seat, shaping a pyramid with his fingers. "You think that any of those houses has a trap from either the agency or Hexennacht am I right?"

"If that so then you shouldn't worry too much, Danhauser," Soror Demise gave a sweet smile. "We, Grauzauberer can take care of that. It won't be a problem for us."

"Alright, that's one less issue," Danhauser placed a hand over his hip. "Remember, the families were captured because their uproar made the media milk the cash cow and spread the news worldwide."

"... When they wake up, they'll once again make a riot for their children?" Tobio saw his king nod. "If that happens... they're going to silence them."

"By slicing their throats," Tannin finished.

"But they're in a weakened state," countered the brunet. "We captured Hanezu and his lapdog and you killed the headmistress of Hexennacht with Vali which was their big hitter just behind Satanael."

"Augusta," Mephisto said with venom.

"How can you tell they're already vulnerable?" Danhauser shot back. "Did you just forgot what Azazel has told us about the true leader of Hexennacht and Wizards of Oz?"

"The Wonderful Wizard, Oz himself," Lavinia paled at the thought. "It's still not confirmed if the Land of Oz is working with Satanael..."

"He has a point," Tannin agreed.

"Don't get me wrong, if you want to take them out of their capsules then fine, I won't oppose. I was just giving my two cents." Danhauser remarked. "Let's just hope that they won't retaliate when they find out."

Mephisto massaged his tired, heterochromatic eyes. "Fucking hell..." He moaned out. "...I'll have to discuss this with Azazel later."

The blonde Faustus turned to Danhauser, concerned. "You think it's possible for them to infiltrate Ryuukou Town under our noses?"

"The Agency and Hexennacht? I don't think so." Danhauser folded his arms. "Actually, maybe Hexennacht can, but who worries me the most is Satanael. He's supposed to be a Cadre and Grigori is well-known for their stealthy approach."

Suddenly, a teleportation circle came into view, enough to alarm the magicians to take aim with their respective magic tricks.

"Lower your spells," Mephisto ordered with a grunt, confusing his students. "He's an ally."

"Heh!" Tannin grinned knowingly. "The Emperor's bishop is finally here."

The light unhurriedly expanded until it finally died down, a new figure calmly approached them.

What Danhauser first felt was the dense aura that expelled from their body, but his clothes alone were the interesting part. His attire exposed nothing of skin that even Seekvaira Agares would be impressed by his good taste. An ankle length overcoat, boots, thick gloves, a brimmed hat and, most importantly, a mask reminiscent of a crow's face, complete with a beak.

All in all, he dressed like a plague doctor.

"The mask of a bird, for a place where no birds sing." Lavinia murmured loud enough for Danhauser to hear it.

"Perdurabo," the dragon nodded welcomingly.

"Tannin. Chairman," he greeted, his voice distorted by the mask. "I can see you've found the abducted civilians. Congratulations."

"We couldn't make it without your assistance, Pater Perdurabo," Mephisto gave a grateful nod. "My most sincere gratitude."

"It was nothing," the man dismissed him, slowly pivoting over Danhauser whose back tensed up. "The Heir of the Rating Game himself... it's an honor."

"Uh..." the devil trailed off, awkwardly coughing behind a fist. "Likewise, Pater Perdurabo."

"Please, there's no need of addressing me by my Magical Motto, just call me by my name," Perdurabo took his hat off and bowed like a good gentleman. "Aleister Crowley. Bishop of the Rating Game Champion."

Danhauser and Tobio shared a look, gulping simultaneously. This man was powerful as Rudiger Rosenkreutz, the 7th ranker. That alone speaks how strong Diehauser Belial's Peerage is.

They watched Aleister Crowley rigid his back and put his hat back on its place. "Chairman, I have more information of your foe that could become handy."

Mephisto narrowed his eyes. "Good or bad news?"

"Both," came the simple response.

The blue-red-haired devil inhaled deeply. "Alright, beat the crap out of me with the bad news first."

Aleister nodded. "Satanael has, at his disposal, one of the thirteen swords of the Knights of the Round Table," that alone made Mephisto's eye twitch. "The sword wielded by the strongest knight of the Round Table, Sir Lancelot du Lac. Aron—!"

"Arondight," the chairman looked ready to screech like a banshee and slam his fists on the armchairs. He quickly turned to the teenagers. "Give me a second, brats, I have to vent off."

Danhauser fought back a smirk, gesturing to the building's exit. "After you, Chairman."

"... That mother fucking dick sucker cunt fucking cuntity fuck..."

The three teenagers just watched the floating chair of Mephisto slowly building distance, sometimes brushing off his fellow students away.

Lavinia was the first to react by tilting her witch's hat. "I-I'm sorry for Pop's unique vocabulary..." The Faustus said, flustered. "He gets easily angered."

"It's fine," Danhauser chuckled. "It's funny when he gets pissed."

"Do you know how he got the sword?" Tannin asked, ignoring his master's fit of tantrums coming from the background.

Aleister briefly gazed the distanced Mephisto before shaking his head, "I'm afraid not." He adjusted his mask. "But maybe he's using it as a fail-safe method in case their opponents have holy sword wielders within their ranks."

Tobio turned to Danhauser. "Sieg is not a holy sword user, right?"

"Last time I checked, he's not."

"That's good to hear."

"... Fuckity fuck fucker fucking fuck fuckers! FUCK!" A now composed Mephisto joined back the group. "Alright! I'm fine again! We already heard the bad news, now let's hear the good news!" Mephisto turned pleadingly at the fellow headmaster. "Just shoot, Perdurabo, make my whole week."

"As you wish," Pater Perdurabo harrumphed. "Satanael also has in his grasp one of the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan."

Mephisto stared for a full minute. "How the fuck is that good news you cock thistle?"

"Isn't that obvious, Chairman?"

Mephisto growled. "Fucking hell! We're not here for a dick-measuring contest, Crowley! Just get to the damn point!"

Tobio stared flatly. "What."

Tannin boomed a laugh, shaking the place a little. "BWA HA HA! No reason to dishonor the classics, Mephisto!"

"At least you two are finally ready to get down to business." Danhauser chuckled wearily after regaining his balance. "Should I get a measuring tape?"

"W-what Pops is trying to say..." Lavinia stuttered aloud, hiding her pink face with her hat. "Is that we're in a bit of a hurry. _Please._ "

"Impatient as always, chairman," The plague doctor-like stated but complied. "Fine then. Because of this, chances of building up a, somewhat, temporary truce with the High Priestess Yasaka are relatively high."

...

"You're right," Mephisto breathed out, gradually eyes widening in realization. "Holy shit, you're right, Aleister! If it wasn't for your shitty mask, I'd kiss you right now."

"Good thing I always wear it then," Diehauser Belial's bishop said with mild amusement.

Danhauser, on the other hand, clicked his tongue at the news. "Damn... I just hope I don't become a problem in this."

Lavinia fired Danhauser a curious gaze. "Why are you saying that?" She asked incredulously. "Working with you has been a great pleasure, and it is still. Thanks to your team, we made progress. Why would you turn into the issue now?"

Danhauser's mouth opened in reply but quickly looked across the room with a steady glare.

Tobio caught on. "Don't sweat it, boss," he patted his shoulder. "All the security cameras are off. Nothing's recording this conversation."

"Maybe we could take a look in the security room later on," Tannin suggested to Mephisto, eliciting a strong nod from his king.

The Heir of Belial pursed his lips. "The problem here is that my cousin is governing Kuoh Town." He paused. "... High Priestess Yasaka wants Kuoh back."

Much to Danhauser and Tobio's surprise, Mephisto hasn't exploded yet, he merely quirked an eyebrow. "So what?" He said sharply. "That's a problem between Ars Goetia and Kyoto. Not Grauzauberer and Grigori."

"Last time I checked, I'm still part of Ars Goetia," Danhauser shot back. "Wouldn't the leader of Kyoto hold any sort of grudge toward my cousin, myself and perhaps the Belial Clan?"

"My point still stands. She's going to negotiate with Grauzauberer, not the 72 Pillars." Mephisto dismissed his uneasiness with a hand's sway. "And yes, maybe she does, but I bet she'll push her bitterness aside for the sake of retrieving one of the missing treasures of Japan."

"After all," Aleister adjusted his mask. "It's property of the Shinto pantheon."

"Her superiors," Lavinia finished.

"Moving on, are there any objections?" Mephisto eyed each one of them sternly, daring them to play the fool. Satisfied, he nodded. "Perdurabo, any reason why the Utsusemi Agency would leave behind their captives?"

"The idea behind this is still a mystery," responded the masked man. "It seems that these were the orders of Satanael after Augusta and Chief-engineer Hanezu were defeated. Himejima Hanezu has nothing to do with this."

Mephisto growled, a dark glint escaping from his unique eyes. "I bet they were trying to increase their numbers. Hope he dies in a bin fire, that big fat egg of solid fuck..."

"I'm afraid you're right," Aleister agreed. "The chief-engineer saw flaws in this project of his... It seems the technique was not yet perfected."

"Technique? Not perfected?" Tobio asked, at the same time, interested.

"I find that hard to believe," said Danhauser, managing to laugh in disbelief. "They totally looked flawless during our fights and—!"

They all stopped talking, silence taking over.

"May I continue?" Aleister asked tentatively and received 'go ahead' nods. "... Anyway, for the sake of the ongoing experiment into the usage of Utsusemi, manifesting the artificial Sacred Gear can cause irregularities in the experimental body's mind and body. In order to compensate for that, someone of close genetic relation such as blood relatives were fundamental. For those that become exhausted by utilizing the Utsusemi the bodies of the parents, or possibly the siblings, are used to complement the recovery. Periodically the experimental body will have to spend a day in these capsules in order to preserve their ability..."

"Just like a rechargeable battery," Danhauser surmised. "They had something akin to a time limiter and these capsules recharged them."

"Allowing physiological activity to return to normal gradually after strenuous activities," the blonde continued quietly. "Such as fighting us."

"While the replacements were handed an Utsusemi to hunt for the survivors of the Luxury Liner Incident," Tobio concluded. "Then that means sooner or later, they won't be able to use the Utsusemi!"

"I don't want to be that guy but..." Danhauser rubbed his neck. " It's very likely Satanael found a method to surpass this."

"Let's hope you're wrong, then."

"Of course, there are exceptions," the bishop said back, light reflecting his mask's lenses. "Those who are born with an avatar-type Sacred Gear don't suffer these consequences."

"Like us," Lavinia stole a glance at Tobio.

"Aye, aye," Tobio bobbed his head.

"This is amazing," the heir finally said. "How come you found a way to make Hanezu spit out the truth? Not even Mephisto could make that man open his mouth."

"That's because I never interrogated him," Aleister responded, surprising the teenagers. "From what the Chairman told me, the chief-engineer has a blind loyalty for Satanael... it would be a waste of time to make him talk."

"... Then what did you do?"

"I went straight to the point," he replied casually. "I forcefully extracted some of his memories."

"Of course," she finally understood, fixating Mephisto a long stare. "Now I see why you needed Pater Perdurabo of all available headmasters. It's because he's the only one proficient in the arts of Black Magic, correct?"

The heterochromatic devil tiredly exhaled. "You caught me red-handed." He slumped in his chair in defeat. "I didn't want to use harsher methods, but the shit stain left me no choice."

Aleister observed the confused expressions of Danhauser and his servant. "Black Magic is a source of dire power. Although destructive, it can also be used to curse either the spirit or soul, extract Sacred Gears or memories and even harm the mind, transmitting thoughts such as sorrow, doubt, and terror. All in all, emotions based on survival logic."

"To compensate Black Magic's raw power, it comes at a high price." Mephisto looked pointedly at Aleister. "It curses the user along the way."

The black magus shrugged nonchalantly.

"Damn," Slash Dog's eyes shifted over Diehauser's bishop. "Can't you erase that curse and be uncursed?"

Aleister snorted shamelessly. "Do I appear like a White Magic user to you?" He snarked, mildly annoyed. "Even if found a way to cleanse myself, I will immediately refuse. If I do so, all my progress and efforts will be gone forever."

"So you need to be cursed to cast Black Magic," Danhauser mumbled. "That sucks..."

"The greater the black magic gets, the stronger the curse shall get." Tannin folded his arms, looking distantly. "Vritra learned it the hard way."

"What happened to him?" Danhauser asked, thrilled. A stupid question, but his mouth acted first.

"He fought Sakra fearlessly during the Asura War, although he was outmatched immensely by the latter, and thus killed." Tannin answered. "The problem here is that because his flames adapted with the black magic he thought he had a chance against Sakra."

"But that wasn't enough," Danhauser moved a hand on his hip. "However, that doesn't answer my question."

"If you die and you're cursed you can't be resurrected with weak white magic alone." The dragon said. "Even less if the curse grew stronger over time. Unless a master of white magic or the Sephiroth Graal user is the one reviving them."

After that, Lavinia and Tobio instinctively peeked at the gray devil between them.

Danhauser ignored them.

Mephisto clapped twice. "Alright, you brats, class is over!" He strongly turned his neck over to Aleister. "You think you can give me Hanezu's memories so I can take a look?"

"..." Perdurabo, who was quiet throughout the explanation, nodded slowly and with a snap of his fingers, invoked a crystal ball atop his palm. What happened next impressed Danhauser and Tobio. The dark, purplish aura that coated Aleister's hand slowly dug inside the transparent object.

At last, his hand was freed from the curse of black magic, lending the crystal ball to Mephisto. "Just put a small quantity of demonic power and shake it."

The chairman did as he was told, watching the smoke within the crystal ball twirled like a cyclone and slowly shaped an image.

The teenagers felt their feet awkwardly shuffle behind the older devil, peering curiously behind his shoulder as a shot that showed the perspective of someone inside the crystal ball, as if they were looking through someone else's eyes.

The eyes of Hanezu himself.

"Excellent," Mephisto teleported the crystal ball away. "Anything you know about the World of Oz?"

Aleister shook his head. "Nothing," he said. "It appears Augusta and Satanael kept Hanezu in the dark... If Augusta was kept alive, I could sift for anything useful."

Danhauser winced, followed by a hiss. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," the black mage said. "But now that we're addressing the subject of the Wizards of Oz... I would like to give my two cents on the subject, Chairman."

Mephisto's eyes squinted slightly. "... Yeah?"

"I wish to address the whereabouts of the former headmistress of Wizards of Oz, Glinda." Lavinia perked up at that. "Her purpose is still a mystery, her status unknown and her untold departure makes her suspicious on this."

"W-what?" Her eyes widened and her irises shrunken. "N-no she wouldn't...!"

"I apologize, Soror Demise, I know that you hold Glinda in high regard, after all, she's a mother to you, but..." He hesitated. "I believe she's also a terrorist."

Steadily, a cold wave spread throughout the room. Beginning as only a slight chill, the temperature in the chamber was clearly decreasing little by little. There was even white breath being exhaled from everyone's mouth.

From Lavinia's body, a penetratingly cold air was being released.

She glared at him then spat venomously. "How dare you to insult her!" she clenched her fists. "You don't know anything about her! She would never betray us! Let alone hunt down the innocent!"

"After she disappeared, a week later Wizards of Oz attacked Grauzauberer," Aleister recalled. "She's the only who knows every inch of Grauzauberer."

"That's not enough to prove her 'guiltiness'!" She used the air quotes for emphasis. "Your opinions about her are useless!"

"Enough, Lavinia!" Mephisto lashed out. "Remember who you're talking to!"

Lavinia's heartbeat stopped for a second. "B-but Pops! Y-you wouldn't believe in his words... r-right?"

"..."

She shook her head in denial, lip quivering. "H-have you lost your mind?!" She cried as rage filled her belly. "Some big-shot magician just fed you a story and you believed him after all these years we'd enjoyed with Glinda?! He's just spouting oversimplified, senile bullshit!"

"Mind your fucking language, Lavinia," Mephisto warned through gritted his teeth. "You're a Faustus, fucking act like one! She was part of the Wizards of Oz, sooner or later she would stab us in the back! So you better have a hold of your emotions or else make like a tree and fuck off! Understood?!"

Her face went as blank as a chalkboard, but her watery eyes told another tale. She stiffly bobbed her head.

"Good, now apologize to Aleister."

Danhauser pulled his collar shirt. "I'm so fucking uncomfortable right now," he murmured. "I mean, that really got out of hand fast."

"You tell me," Tobio gulped, feeling how the temperature grew back to normal. "Shit just escalated quickly..."

Jin whined softly!

With sapphire orbs obscured by her warden's hat, she forcefully bowed as deep as she could. "I'm sorry, Pater Perdurabo. I acted as an imbecile. Please forgive me."

Clashing stares with the elder and the dragon, Aleister rigidly nodded down at her. "Don't worry."

She didn't even return the gesture and just looked back at Mephisto. "Chairman, can we take our leave or do you need us for anything else?"

The chairman rolled his distinct eyes at her sharp words. Nonetheless, he answered just as sharply. "Do as you think best."

Danhauser never saw when and how, but Lavinia found her way behind them and teleported them back to Ryuukou Town.

* * *

Just as they'd stepped inside Sae Toujou's former house, Danhauser Belial, Ikuse Tobio, and Jin felt half the tension leave their bodies through a sigh.

The other half was hugging Lavinia Reni herself.

They were the only ones in the house, and possibly the only ones in Ryuukou Town, not counting the citizen, of course.

Thankfully the blonde wasn't in the mood to talk, distracted by whatever her mind tossed down at her.

She bowed and went to her bedroom in silence.

Both males waited for her to disappear and did the same thing. Not before the Pure Devil lent the black recorder that Sae gave to his cousin, Cleria Belial, and then at him.

The brunet left in a flash, leaving his king with no company in the corridor and without a farewell.

Not like he minded. He needed time alone anyway.

With a shrug he walked aimlessly toward his room and dropped in the middle of the room, legs crossed.

"Guess I'll pass the night here," Danhauser closed his eyes and calmed his breathing. "Nothing wrong should happen on my brother's territory and Valerie's way safer there than here."

Speaking of the holy grail user...

He knew there are consequences for recruiting someone whose sacred gear is sought by those that forms one of the most dangerous criminal factions in Khaos Brigade.

Qlippoth.

Releasing his ki tenderly. He felt his body wrapped in Senjutsu. Unlike demonic power, the only way to enhance and have a better grasp of Senjutsu is through meditation.

Senjutsu is akin to a soft breeze.

Meanwhile, Demonic Power resembled a hurricane.

However, he wasn't here to recite information that he already knew.

 _"...Is Rizevim going to target me and my clan?"_ He squinted his already clenched eyes. _"I won't be too surprised if they already know about me and from where the Sephiroth Graal has landed... but are they going to attack me? By doing so, they'll become targets for the Three Factions, and since this is Rizevim, chances of a peace treaty being built increases."_

...

...

...

He opened his eyes for a second and closed them once again. _"...It would be a risky move. The only reason_ _why they were dangerous in the Light Novels was thanks to the Evil Dragons and Trihexa... but not anymore. Only Crom Cruach and maybe Níðhöggr."_ He paused. _"How the hell did I just pronounce that?"_

He slapped his own cheek. "Focus Danhauser, focus!" He scolded himself. _"...Right, moving on... If Valerie is safe, then Qlippoth will be formed only by Rizevim, Euclid, Crom MAYBE Níðhöggr... and Walburga. The woman who currently is working under Satanael."_

...

 _"They'll try and find new allies."_ He fought back a groan, but his Senjutsu spiked briefly in return. _"Son of a bitch! Most likely they'll join forces!" He resisted the urge to smash his fist on anything nearby. "The worst part is that Satanael knows about my Peerage, Vali, and Lavinia. Fuck!"_

His brain was on five percent battery. The idea of dropping dead on his bed, and soak in the calm peace of nature, was starting to sound pleasing.

But he couldn't, he needed to find a way to dodge the hook that was Rizevin Livan Lucifer. And later, find a way to protect his dear cousin, Cleria.

 _"They have to attack us,"_ Finally, Danhauser thought, unsatisfied. _"I don't even know where their hideout is. But they do know where we are thanks to Satanael. They have to make a move on us, and I have to be there, see it with my own eyes... survive."_ He shakily gulped down his saliva. _"Let Aleister use his black magic on me and extract my memories. Enough proof to perhaps alarm the Three Great Factions. Don't think Valerie's brother, Marius, is with them. Probably dead for letting his half-sister escape."_

They were strong, but Rizevim's small group was beyond strength. The moment they make their debut, they'll have to retreat ASAP.

 _"Vali would become a problem due to his immense hatred for his father and his grandfather."_ He rolled his tongue. _"Hopefully, he'll be absent that day, if not, well, I'll make sure to drop him unconscious and run away with everyone."_

...

...

...

 _"The plan sucks,"_ he admitted. _"But that's all I got. I can't just say out of the blue that I know about Rizevim when Diehauser doesn't even know about him... yet."_

His Senjutsu warned him of a figure behind the doorway, ready to knock. "Come in." He said, freezing the visitor.

For a second, nothing happened, but the door finally cracked open, the top hat of a witch was the first thing to pop around the door, followed by the contagious smile of Lavinia herself. "Senjutsu?" she asked, regardless of knowing the answer.

"Bingo," he winked and stood up, stretching his limbs. "So, what's up? Anything I could help you with?"

She made sure to close the entrance before answering. "I... I wanted to apologize for what happened back in the Utsusemi's hideout." she bowed down. "My behavior was unprofessional, and I've made a fool of Pops and Grauzauberer itself. I'd already asked Tobi forgiveness..."

"Tobi?" The heir raised both hands, shaking them. "Hey, hey. Everything is alright. Really." He momentarily looked aside. "Besides, I would also lose it if someone dear to me was accused of something... or something..."

...

"... Something is troubling you, isn't it?" Lavinia floated a few forward. "You want to talk about it?"

The heir ceased his response, letting his gray eyes roam the room before aiming back on the Faustus. He noticed her sapphire eyes were slightly red.

With a short nod, he motioned to the bed and both devil and mage took a seat.

"My cousin is in trouble," Danhauser dropped the bomb. "I'm worried she's dating someone who she shouldn't. I tried talking with her about this, but she either swaps the subjects through teasing, doesn't answer at all, or she denies it." He constantly slid his hands through his hair. "... I don't know what to do. Maybe I should peek her cellphone or spy on her whenever she left her job or... or maybe... what's so funny?"

The giggle built up inside her like so much water behind a dam, making her shoulders shake and her belly hurt. "S-sorry!" she waved her apology, brawling down a grin. "Are you sure you're worried or just jealous~?"

He wore a puzzled expression, his brain almost roasting from all the mental struggle. "What? No!" He shook his head wildly. "I'm just sick worried!"

Her lips curled up. "It's cute how you 'worry' for your cousin." She playfully nudged him. "But let her enjoy her romantic life! Don't tell me you don't want to see your future—!"

"I believe she's dating an exorcist."

"... Oh." Her smile fell, swapped by a concerned expression. "That's... not good."

"No shit," Danhauser grunted, eliciting a pout from her. "Sorry... I'm just tired... I'm lost on this type of stuff."

The magician took the pregnant silence in her favor. "Whatever you do, don't fight them back."

"Not fight them back?"

"The Three Great Factions are in a pseudo-peace treaty. A frail one, too. You should be cautious about how you make your move. In times like this, it's better to play it safe rather than intimidate them."

Danhauser pursed his lips. "You've hit the nail on the head," he admitted. "Even then, there's no way I'll convince them to leave Kuoh Town."

Through the corner of his eyes, he saw her shaking her head. "Thought so." He sighed, releasing a wan smile. "Still, thank you. I owe you one."

"... I think I'll cash that now." She said to herself. "The favor I mean."

"Well, I'm all ears."

With a sweet smile, Lavinia summoned a small notebook in her hand. "Read it, please." she shook it soothingly.

Sparing her a single glance, Danhauser grabbed it. "Vali Lucifer." he read aloud the cover. He slowly looked up at her face, but Lavinia simply kept that charming smile of hers.

He finally opened it.

"'I just want to fight eternally,'" Danhauser recited, eyes glued on the pages. "'I'm a descendant of the previous generation's Satan Lucifer who died. However, I'm a child of mixed blood born from a father who was the old Satan's grandson and a human mother. —I obtained the Vanishing Dragon's sacred gear because I'm half-human. It was just by chance. However, I, who is a true blood relative of Lucifer and is also the Vanishing Dragon, was born.'"

He remembered reading this quotes from Vali's wiki and through the Light Novels, all of them conveniently aimed for his rival, the Red Dragon Emperor, Hyoudou Issei.

Danhauser stifled a laugh. "I-is... is this what I think it is...?"

A glint of proudness came from her eyes. "This is Va's quotes that he wrote for his lifelong rival who would one day appear before Va. After he wrote such cool lines the past months, Va's been regularly working out through day and night. Just like you."

Finally, the heir lost it. "This is so embarrassing! Why'd you take it?"

"Because Va always avoids me. He doesn't come to Ryuukou Town whenever I'm here." she puffed her cheeks. "Va's so mean."

"So he doesn't have other option other than coming at you?" Danhauser shook his head. "That's plain evil, Lavinia. I approve."

"Look! This is my favorite quote so far!" She snatched the notebook from his grasp, searching restlessly from the hundred of inscribed pages. Finally, she laid back the book in his hands. "Read it! Read it!"

"Alright, alright calm down." Danhauser chuckled. "... But I can't look back. Not anymore. I can only move forward and try to defeat the Sekiryuutei alone. And I have to keep getting stronger because my goal is to become the strongest White Dragon Emperor. From the day I was born, I've been fighting. Albion chose me to live as his next warrior." He finished and snickered. "This is _so_ cringy... I love it."

"So?" She asked eagerly. "What do you think?"

He faced the ice princess with a small grin. "I think you found a gold mine. Can I make a copy of it?"

"As long as you give it back, however..." she trailed off, tapping on the same page. "Doesn't that quote sounds _vaguely_ familiar to you...?"

Danhauser scowled and read it multiple times. "Actually... it _does_ sound familiar..." his eyes finally widened. "What the hell?! This is the same thing I said to the Top Ten!"

"I know right?" she clapped happily. "Isn't that adorable? He found your words cool and decided to use it for his rival."

"That little shit." Danhauser angrily closed the book. "That damn Shota Dragon. Next time I see him I'll beat him up worse than a redheaded stepchild."

"No!" Lavinia's one-sans instincts triggered, frowning cutely at him. "I don't get it, why are you so furious?"

"He stole my content."

"He is only twelve years old!"

"He stole my content."

"He may have taken you as another role model!"

"He stole my content."

"He thinks you're cool!"

"He stole my content."

"He respects your strength and dreams!"

"He stole my content."

"Stop saying the same thing!" she snapped gently. "Are you seriously going to injure someone who's way younger than you because of a mere quote that you will eventually forget in weeks or months?"

"Well, yeah."

"Don't. Hurt. Va." She chided lightly while poking his chest for each, accentuated word.

He won't deny it. Lavinia looked sexy angry. Valerie Tepes' tier.

Danhauser parried her jabbings. "Fine, I'll back away." he folded his arms, grumbling. "Mine's ten-times cooler anyway..."

"Great! Now, the wish I need," she clasped both hands. "I'd already asked Tobi's help and he'd agreed. Now I need yours. From now on, can you help me keep an eye over Va, please?"

The heir raised an eyebrow. "What? I don't think he needs someone watching over him," he pointed out. "He's going to be strong in the future. That's a given."

"I know, I know, but..." she took her hat and hug it. "...He's still a troublesome boy and I can't help but worry after him... he's like a little brother to me."

"... Lavinia. Why do you look at him as your little brother?"

She giggled shyly. "Well... I always wanted a little brother or sister," she admitted, wearing her hat once again. "Maybe I have one since, you know, I never met my family... I was adopted by Glinda."

"And he perfectly fits the bill?"

"Yes!" she chirped cheerfully. "A thousand times yes! His subcultural view, his teenage rebellion, his 'cool' phase and acting superior to others is the perfect little brother material!" Her delight toned down a bit. "... Plus because of his heritage... I believe he never had the love of his family."

Danhauser's lips became a grim line.

"That's why I need you and Tobi's help on this," she looked at him right in the eyes pleadingly. "Yes, in the future he's going to become a strong, young man, but he's all alone and... and—!"

The heir raised a hand, stopping her. "I understand... I'll see what I can do."

"Oh, thank you so much!" She brought him in her arms, surprising him. "Thank you so much, Da!"

Danhauser chuckled nervously, slowly rubbing her back. "Da?"

She broke the hug, fidgeting. "No offense, but your name is a little... large and strange. I-I hope you don't mind."

"Eh, go for it." He said, murmuring. "It's _way_ better than Dan the Man anyways..."

"Hmm? Did you say something?"

"N-Nothing."

"Okay..." she trailed off suspiciously, before gasping. "If you want, you can also give me a short and cute nickname! I wouldn't mind!"

He stared at her sapphire eyes, while her body language was calm, her orbs reflected her true emotions.

"I'm not sure," he shrugged a little, smiling playfully. "...I'll have to think deeper about this... _Lavi._ "

She squealed in return.

* * *

Danhauser watched hungrily as Jeanne shoved a handful of fries into her mouth, making a contented noise at the back of her throat. "Delicious!" She washed it down with a large gulp of soda and took a large chunk of her burger. He wasn't hungry, because he had his breakfast with Ikuse Tobio and Lavinia Reni, truly, the former was a god in the kitchen.

After that, he went to Kuoh Town thanks to Lavinia's teleportation technique and decided to use her advise. Solve it through, diplomacy. Something that he should do often as the next Head of the Belial Clan.

At first, he'd demanded a private meeting with Shidou Irina's father, Shidou Touji, but the latter didn't want anything that involved the devils, so he opted to the kindhearted girl. Jeanne herself.

She'd accepted right away, but It'd taken her a while to convince the exorcists to not act as her bodyguards, she could handle herself.

They'd hesitantly let her go.

His cousin doesn't even know that Danhauser Belial is eating with a saint. Cleria Belial isn't even aware that he's in Kuoh Town right now.

Just by looking at the junk food being devoured by the girl made his appetite growl and grumble in the depths of his stomach, thankfully, no one heard its complaints.

 _"Why in every anime the food must look amazing?"_ Danhauser inattentively licked his lips as the blonde took another bite of her burger, a trail of hot cheese connecting them. _"Fuck. Me. I should've asked for a burger, too."_

"Here! You should eat, too!" he heard her clearly, thrusting her plate forward. "I had no idea that french fries were so delicious!"

Danhauser eyed the dish wide-eyed and began eating, moaning softly. "I now understand why they call you a saint."

"I should be the one thanking you!" She said in return. "Because of you, I had learned that there are different variations of french fries! So many variations even though it's already so good! ...How intriguing." She pouted. "Why would they never let me eat something so tasty? Were they just mean?"

"Maybe something to do about the calories," he chewed the already bitten hamburger. "You know, take care of your figure and all."

She tilted her head. "Really? I can't really eat that much anyway, so I think it's alright for me..."

"Well, maybe it's an image issue," Danhauser looked away from the food. "A saint eating a fiery, juicy, greasy fries don't really... you know..."

"Hmm. Maybe you're right," Jeanne bobbed her head, tapping her lips in thought. "Or... perhaps they didn't know what fries taste like!"

Danhauser's eyebrow arose.

"Tee hee. I bet they hate getting their hands all greasy. They'd be like," she put an image of seriousness which was kind of ruined by the sauces that had settled on her cheeks. "hurr durr we can't eat that because it interferes with our work hurr durr." She stopped imitating them. "Or something like that."

The heir chuckled faintly, for her to be a saint and act in such way is honestly... weird. For him at least. He'd expected her to be serious, calm, composed, diligent and a strict follower of Christianity.

Maybe she's all of those when the situation calls it.

"I need your group to stay away from my cousin," Danhauser tackled the conversation. "For the sake of us."

...

The girls' mind was still assembling things up. "What's happening? May I know at least why?" her expression became more troubled. "W-we didn't' hurt her, right?"

 _"I can't talk so seriously with someone who has ketchup all over her face."_ Danhauser yanked a napkin from the table. "Nothing happened, not yet."

Jeanne blew a sigh of relief. "Thank the Lord... if they made something bad. I'd smash them into the freaking sky!" She slammed her fists on the table, shaking it. Her words, gaze, and facial expressions suddenly turn sharp as daggers.

He just frowned, unfazed. "What?"

The saint blushed and took the offered napkin, cleaning herself. "... U-uh, I mean... yeah." She harrumphed awkwardly. "Thankfully, my people have resisted their act of violence against your kind. Those induced by sin will face divine punishment."

"...Right." Danhauser eyed her oddly. "Look, I'll explain everything. I don't want her involved in politics, even less in life and death situations." He brought a hand to his pocket. "You want peace for the Three Factions? Fine, I'll help you out, but my cousin, by any means, won't participate in this."

She noticed a motion coming on the table, his hand on the middle, he rose it and underneath it was a small piece of paper.

It was a flyer with the Belial crest.

"Just put a small drop of blood and It'll be enough," Danhauser explained, finishing the hamburger. "For now I'm only carrying one. Once you summon me, I'll give you another one."

She nodded eagerly and pocketed the flyer. "You can't imagine how glad I am for you lending me a hand on this. Thank you very much." the blonde's lips went up genuinely. "However, you said it with such confidence... you have something planned? I would love to help in any way possible."

"No," he turned her down immediately. "It's dangerous."

This time, her smile dropped and her eyes narrowed. "I appreciate your concern, but you don't have to. I may not look like it, but I know how to handle myself."

"And I believe you," Danhauser said, ignoring her glare. "It's just that I need someone here in Kuoh Town while I'm away for reasons. If something supernatural happens, you know who to call and remember do _NOT_ involve my cousin in this. I do not want _ANYONE_ from your group to get close to her."

Her gaze softened but nodded. "Understood. However, don't hesitate to call for my support, okay?" she advised. "You don't have to do this alone."

"We'll see," Danhauser gestured at the empty plate. "You have to go now? If you want, you can ask for more food. It's on the house."

Danhauser watched the girl fidget and nod. He laughed a little. "Well then, call a waiter and fill your belly up."

As the girl rose an arm up, Danhauser's expression hardened a little. _"... Times like this I wish I was Danhauser Keikaku and not Belial."_ His jaw clenched. _"The plan is risky, that's for sure, but that's all I have._ "

* * *

"The plan is risky, but that's all we have," Euclid Lucifuge massaged his eyes for the fifth time. "Losing the Sephiroth Graal struck us hard. What we should focus on now is recruiting trustworthy allies, he fills the role wonderfully."

"And recruiting the Emperor of the Rating Game was your greatest idea?" Lord Nebiros snorted, lying a leg atop the other.

"But of course!" Euclid dramatically declared. "They are the ones that are guarding the Holy Chalice, Diehauser Belial has the potential to become a strong Devil, and if it's possible his mother and uncle could lend us a hand, Calcabrina Belial, and Malacoda Malebranche respectively."

"B-but we have the two Evil Dragons!" Marius Tepes almost jumped from his seat. "One of them is the Ultimate Evil Dragon! It should be enough, right?"

"It isn't, with Sephiroth Graal your Majesty and I were planning to revive the Evil Dragons," the silver-haired stated. "Specifically, Apophis and Aži Dahāka."

The black-white-haired devil suddenly snorted. "Please tell me you're joking!" Lord Nebiros's snickers died down. "I highly doubt you can keep tamed two Evil Dragons, with more of them you'll eventually lose authority over them! Only the _Evil Gods_ could keep them under control!"

"Sephiroth Graal can do many wonders that you can't fathom, Lord Nebiros," Euclid countered. "Once we recruit Diehauser Belial, then we'll have the Longinus back in our hands."

"What about the boy, Danhauser?" The fellow devil asked. "After all, he technically reincarnated the holy chalice in his nobility."

Euclid snorted. "What about _him?_ " He asked with a cold laugh. "I couldn't care for that brat. He just lives in the shadow of his brother. Every single fight he had won was pure luck, every Peerage that has had joined are nothing but served in a silver platter. He doesn't deserve any of them. All that matters is that Diehauser, Calcabrina, and Malacoda join our cause."

"... Back to the subject." Lord Nebiros passed a hand across his mixed hair. "So you won't be killing them, that's a surprise coming from the likes of you." he mocked. "Tell me, how are you planning on doing that?"

"Were you sleeping this whole time, Lord Nebiros?" Euclid taunted. "In fact, with the information, you lend us! You were the one who told us the corruption behind the Rating Games! Truly, the Elder of the Naberius Clan exceeded himself for sharing this information with you!"

"Long ago, when he'd found out about my research of becoming a Super Devil he'd decided to, secretly, lend me a hand," Lord Nebiros explained. "Him and his descendant, Lord Zagan, the progress is going great so far, perhaps even better when I was working with the father of Kuroka and Shirone."

"The king piece," the vampire muttered. "A piece that was feared from the higher ups, yet some of them have a few hidden. For such thing to exist..."

"And because of this, multiple doors have opened for us." Euclid wrapped his finger around his long braid. "... Just imagine what we could cause with such information."

"You're going to spread it across the Underworld, aren't you?" Lord Nebiros carefully said. "You're going to cause a chaos. With just a single ranker from the Top Ten being stripped of their ranks and all their titles for cheating in the Rating Game could cause an immense havoc in the Ars Goetia..."

"Now imagine what would happen if _five_ of the Top Ten were charged for winning through illegal means!" Euclid laughed with excitement. "However, while the idea does sound intriguing, that is the backup plan in case if everything fails."

"Then what's the initial plan?"

Before Euclid replied, the pure devil looked behind his shoulder, smiling 'warmly'. "Ah! What are you two doing in the back there? Please, come in!" He smirked a little. "Don't tell you're afraid of the light?"

Slowly, two figures approached from the dark, a girl with short hair and multiple ribbons and a purple, gothic lolita outfit stood beside a man, her new boss whose back is carrying a demonic western sword and a holy eastern sword.

...

...

...

Any signs of hostility vanished away by Satanael's laugh. "Sorry, sorry!" He waved down his apology. "You guys were too serious that we didn't want to disrupt your evil schemes, can you forgive this old geezer and the young lady?"

Walburga grunted, looking away.

Euclid just kept his forced expression. "Nonsense! There's nothing you have to worry! We accept anyone with arms wide open!" he gestured at the empty seats. "Especially when you're the one with the plan."

"Wait," Lord Nebiros narrowed his heterochromatic eyes. "He has one?"

"Yes, indeed!" Euclid responded. "Hence this meeting. If I'm not mistaken it has to do with this troublesome brat we'd talked about earlier... Danhauser Belial, correct?"

Walburga's gaze darkened. "That fucker and that blonde bitch... they're going to pay for what happened to Augusta!"

"Isn't it weird?" Satanael folded his arms, smirking. "Why a brat of Ars Goetia stuck his nose in trouble? Don't tell me he'd lend a hand to Grauzauberer, Grigori and protect the Five Principal Clans because his noble heart whispered him to do so! Doesn't this raise a few questions?"

"Wasn't all of this for reincarnating Canis Lykaon on his peerage?" Marius frowned. "You told us that anyway..."

"Bleh!" the fallen angel waved off his response, finally dropping to his chair. "He could just extract his Sacred Gear and be done with it! But nope! He just turned him into his servant just to increase his numbers!" He mockingly rubbed his chin. "Hmmm. I wonder why...?"

"Just get on with it, crow," Lord Nebiros snapped.

"Ack!" the former cadre winced. "Alright, alright! Look, it could be two things. One: For the sake of dominating the Rating Game just like his brother." He made a peace sign. "Or two: Get strong teammates to protect something or someone."

"Something?" The vampire repeated, disoriented. "Is there anything useful in Ryuku Town?"

"Ryuukou Town," Satanel corrected, barely looking at Marius's way. "And the only interesting thing in that crappy town was Canis Lykaon and the Evil Fiends."

"Which you already have, two of them to be precise," Euclid played with his long braid in thought. "And he has Canis Lykaon... so why guard that useless town?"

The brunet fallen angel grinned. "Welp, because he isn't protecting 'something', rather, he's protecting _'someone'._ "

Euclid's red eyes widened in realization. "There's someone important to him in that town, isn't it?"

"Eh, close enough," Satanael shrugged. "Maybe that person was living in Ryuukou Town back then, but because of the Utsusemi and Stray Magicians invading constantly, this figure left to a safer town."

"Danhauser Belial is acting as a decoy," Lord Nebiros caught on. "To keep this person's existence away from Satanael's radar."

"But..." Marius trailed off. "Who is this person? Someone from the Belial Clan?"

"Most likely," Satanael winked and gave a thumbs up. "Those are my two cents anyways! Hope you like 'em!"

Grayfia Lucifuge's brother finally stood up. "Excellent, then we can proceed." He looked at the fallen angel. "Grigori expertise in stealth and espionage, I want you two to search from all the towns for this figure. They must have gray hair with matching eyes. Once you found them, report back immediately."

"What makes you think they're from the Belial Clan?" Lord Nebiros promptly asked.

The silver-haired scoffed. "Because it's highly unlikely the brat would risk his neck by fighting terrorists for a mere human, it has to be someone he has a bond with."

"... What are you planning?" Lord Nebiros muttered with a judging look. "I thought you were not going to kill any of them."

Euclid threw another of his distorted smiles. "My, why would you consider such thing? Don't you trust me, Lord Nebiros? I'm hurt." he feigned grief. "... Of course not, we're not going to smear our hands with blood, their government will do us the honors."

"Keep dreaming, brat." the Head of Nebiros firmly said. "While Zekram Bael takes everything as a mere joke, the case of the devils is a different case, especially the 72 Pillars. He's doing anything to keep his kin away from reaching extinction. He won't sacrifice anyone from Ars Goetia."

"Ah, I bet he looked conflicted by sending the heir of Belial to fight against Satanael's army?" Euclid countered. "I bet after that he was weeping on his seat after making such a heartbreaking decision."

Lord Nebiros folded his arms. "Maybe he sees potential in the brat, unlike you." He shot back. "As much as I hate to admit it, that fossil has a good eye... he knew Diehauser Belial would become the monster he is right now. You better have something else in mind aside from revealing the king piece to the whole Underworld."

"We'll see about that," Euclid inspected his nails. "For the meantime, I need you to talk with Elder Naberius."

"The Upsetting Sorcerer, Rudiger Rosenkreutz, acts as his bodyguard."

"Ah, right..." the silver-haired clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Those coming from the Extra Demon Faction or servants of one has to work as a bodyguard for an Elder to live in Ars Goetia. Wonderful..."

"He's not an exception," Satanael chimed in. "Bedeze Abaddon and Roygun Belphegor have their wills bent by an elder too."

"Those two are the ones behind the corruption of the Rating Game, right?" Marius just received an irritated hum from Euclid.

Euclid faced the white-black haired devil. "Well, if the first Naberius is supporting your project then I'm pretty sure he would _kindly_ ask the _Magus of Roses_ some private time with you, hmm?"

When Lord Nebiros' mouth stretched open, his phone rang in his pants. "Great. Now what?" he grumbled, fishing the device and answering. "You speak with Lord Nebiros, how can I help you?"

The traitor of Lucifuge waited with a mix of patience and impatience, tapping his foot on the floor constantly. Curiously enough, the person behind the phone was screaming his guts out to Lord Nebiros.

"... What?" For perhaps a split second Nebiros' surprise was suspended, the confusion protecting him until it shattered like glass. "I-I see... what?"

Euclid scowled with suspicion. "What is it?" No response. "Lord Nebiros, who you're talking with?"

He ended the call, looking down at his phone with a blank expression.

"Lord Nebiros," Euclid called out firmly, hand coated with demonic energy. "This better not be a treason..."

Marius backed away as Satanael quietly made a light spear, eyes locked on the back of the quiet Devil.

Walburga conjured her purple flames and took aim.

The heterochromatic devil met Euclid's red orbs. Finally, he answered. "She... she killed him."

* * *

"How are your children, Lord Bael?" Zekram Bael started a conversation, watching one of the guards pouring his glass with red wine. "And your wives, how are they?"

Lord Bael, looking at his direction, scowled. "What a sudden question. May I know why?"

Giving a thankful nod, the first Great King took a sip. "Never heard you bragging about them like a proud father should. Am I missing something?"

His descendant snorted, gulping half of the strong beverage. "Trust me, Great King, you're not missing anything." He glared down at the drink. "They're not worthy of your attention."

"Is that so...?" Zekram trailed off with an amused smile, swirling his wine glass. "Your youngest child, Magdaran Bael, apparently has revived an extinct purple flower from the Bael territory, for someone of his age, it is an admirable feat. That alone piqued my interest."

"With all due respect, Great King, but being an outstanding botanist isn't going to take him anywhere," Lord Bael retorted. "Now that he lost his privileges as the next heir of the Bael Clan, Magdaran's future has become disappointing."

The Elder Bael inwardly snickered. "Then how about Sairaorg?" He saw the twitch coming from the father. "... Just by your reaction, I'll take it that you rank him at the very bottom. Shocking."

"... How come someone from the Vapula Clan became the next head of the highest-ranking clan amongst the 72 Pillars!" He abruptly stood up, angrily massaging his face. "A joke! This must be a horrible joke!"

Zekram looked at the now stained carpet. "... If it makes you feel any better, I'm also against the idea of Sairaorg becoming the next leader of Ars Goetia," he assuringly said. "... Just how the Phenex Clan give their very first Phoenix Tear to a person they're fond of. It's a tradition, for us, to choose the next Head who carries in their veins our trademark ability."

He stood up and joined Lord Bael in the window, taking another sip. "... Yet, the boy found another route to compensate for his lack of talent. The fact that he has one of the thirteen Longinus in his Peerage is also baffling." He paused. "... Rather than taking your role. He should enroll for the title of Satan."

Right off the bat, the twin doors swung open.

"What the hell!" Lord Bael snapped, jumping in front of his ancestor, power of destruction in his hands. "Invaders! What's the meaning of this?!"

The guards raised their spears and shields, surrounding the two figures and a lady and a butler with a box, precisely.

"Lady Zagan?" Zekram, unalarmed, raised an elegant eyebrow. "If you're here then that means our guards allowed you entrance to our castle... and by the looks of it, it's urgent. What's wrong?"

The woman herself looked as pale as a ghost, she stuttered, but no one understood a word.

"Well, what is it!? Speak!" Lord Bael, however, never faltered just as the guards. "Or the cat got your tongue now?!"

Her legs suddenly lose the willpower, dropping on her knees. "C-c-c-cat?!" She whispered, suddenly screaming. "C-CAAAT! CAAAAT! CAAAAAAT!"

Zekram snorted at the sight, holding back a laugh.

Thankfully, no one noticed.

The butler, took a bold step, alarming the guards. "Y-Your Majesty!" He called out, lifting the cage. "Lord Zagan has been murdered in cold blood!"

"What?!" To the butler's surprise, the first Bael slammed him to a wall in just seconds. "Who?! Who killed him?!"

Sweat pouring in his temple, the butler shakily pointed behind his strangler. "A-ask her! Ask her!"

Lord Bael followed his finger, picking up the cage and looking inside.

A petite girl with white hair and hazel eyes.

"A nekomata..." he noticed her trembling ears and tail, staring back with fear.

Leaving the butler room to breathe, Zekram stormed at his descendant with a glare. "You are the Great King of Ars Goetia. Give your orders. _Now_."

Sairaorg Bael's father snarled at the girl. "We're not done here." He tossed with disgust the cage to one of the guards. "She can't be the only one behind this. There are murderers walking our streets. Restrict the use of any means of public transport. I want the servants of Asmodeus to survey Zagan's territory and restrict the entrance and exit of Agreas and Lilith. No one enters, no one leaves!"

The guards saluted in sync. [By your leave, Lord Bael!]

"Dismissed!"

Just as the guards left the room, Lord Bael spun and rushed at his desk. He glared down at the red button and smashed it.

Bright red lights flashed while normal lighting dimmed in his office.

And the sirens shrilled, urging the Ars Goetia to panic.

* * *

 **3 chapters remaining.  
**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: The Forbidden Piece.**


	26. The Forbidden Piece

**Chapter 26: The Forbidden Piece**

* * *

"Are you alright?"

Cleria Belial could glue her eyes on the desk and not find anything useful to tone down her anxiousness. It had been hours since she'd received a personal call from her cousin, Diehauser Belial about the chaos that built up in Ars Goetia.

"Claire…?"

Diehauser assured her to remain calm and not let the dark news get the better of her. While she believed she had her emotions controlled, the way she'd shakily signed her paperwork and how much she crashes with anything that could leave a scratch on her beautiful face proved how perturbed she truly was.

"Earth to Claire? Don't space out on me now!"

Chances of the stray devil finding shelter here in Kuoh Town are high. What made her throat dry as a desert was her youngest cousin, Danhauser Belial. Sure, the boy's a training maniac and has shown improvements in terms of combat these past months, but the fact that a mere stray devil has occasionally caused a turmoil on one of the most populated factions in the underworld speaks highly of the strength of the murderer.

"Claire!"

Having her alias screamed jolted her out of her daydream. Her heart jumped into her throat as her brain registered the situation at hand. If it wasn't for the enhanced reflexes of a devil, her whole body would be splattered right on the floor. An embarrassing display.

She found herself clashing stares with her coworker's half-lidded eyes. Her mouth opened and closed constantly. But stuck with a shy, apologetic smile. She was a headmistress, excuses aren't someone of her prestige should do. "I'm so sorry, Masaomi," she said with a hint of shame.

And she was ashamed. With Japan considering Kuoh Academy as one of the recommended schools people would assume that the headmistress is someone professional, dutiful and has her mind clear. People would die to be on her shoes, sitting and letting their ego reach the skies from the multiples of praises.

Long black hair, distracting brown eyes, and to top it off a great stature. Oh yes, for Masaomi Yaegaki to be just a mere human, his appearance could match to those of the supernatural world, in her own world anyway.

She knew it would be a bad move to go on the next phase in their relationship. They were good friends, but because of their status as headmistress and teacher respectively, she wasn't looking forward to building a romantic affair with one of her workers. Even if her female students and some other teachers shipped them behind their backs.

Masaomi is one of her trustworthy friends she has on her list, almost turning into her best friend. He was there for her when Danhauser had died, trying to cheer her up by taking her to beautiful places or inviting her to eat something, money spent from his wallet.

She'd developed a crush on him after hanging out whenever they finished work, and maybe they would be dating if it wasn't for Danhauser suddenly coming back to life, since then she spent more time with her cousin than her friend. Heck, when Diehauser had called her that occasion via magic circle, she had to excuse herself and abruptly end her date with him.

And because of that, her feelings for Masaomi slowly withered away, but she still cherishes their friendship.

Sometimes she wondered what would happen if Danhauser never came back to life and was buried. Would their relationship continue and develop? Would her first kiss be stolen by a mere human? What would her Clan think if her lover was just a handsome mortal trying to make a living?

Masaomi shook his head with a sigh, tapping constantly on the desk as he fished words from the pond. "It's all good. I just wanted to know how you were holding up…" he trailed off, massaging his neck in deep thought. "You were acting all weird and people were noticing… want to talk about it?"

She laughed and clumsily scratched her cheek. "It's… personal." There's no way she could reveal issues that involved the supernatural world. Even less to a mere human with a normal life who is working hard to make a living and pay his rent.

Masaomi's lips turned thin. He had an idea what made the gray-haired woman tensed. Either business on the underworld or her Clan, Belial if Touji Shidou was well informed of the Devils prospering in Kuoh Town. Back then, he understood Touji's distrust of devils and the man had ordered him since then to act as a civilian who's seeking for a job, or briefly, a spy.

Unfortunately, for Touji at least, he slowly warmed up to Cleria and her contagious personality whenever he'd spent time with the pure devil… and rather than keeping an eye on any suspicious move, he enjoyed the coffee and interacting with her.

He looked up just as the bell rang and an idea popped into his head. He found himself grinning. "Hey, tell you what the break has started, how about going for a warm coffee, eh?"

She slowly rose an eyebrow. "Whoa, calm those horses, Mr. Yaegaki! Are you trying to bribe me with coffee?" She smirked, wagging her finger. "Ah, ah, ah! You aren't bamboozling the cutest woman in the world so easily, cowboy!"

Masaomi raised his hands in defense. "Hey now, are you accusing me of something false?" He shot back. "I'm just trying to ease your nerves! I swear! If you don't want to talk about it then fine. You still look like you need a rest, though."

Cleria played with her hair, weighing her options. After minutes of silence, she stood up and placed a finger on his chest, pushing him into a wall. "You. Will. Pay."

Leaving no room for argument, the headmistress strolled out of her office, leaving the frozen teacher behind.

Masaomi all but whistled, glancing the empty chair with mixed emotions. "What a woman!" He laughed and locked the door before chasing after her.

* * *

It only took his whole, flying body to pass through three lined trees and had to hold back a scream of agony that threatened to escape from his throat as his back finally met his landing spot, which was obviously a gigantic stone.

As much as he wanted to sit properly and complain about the pain, his opponent would downright refuse to call it a day. Grasping his spear tightly, Danhauser Belial rolled out of the way just in time for the blurred figure to stab her trident in the rock and pierce it.

The heir landed on the grass and rushed at his foe with spear glimmering on the front, but the older woman ungripped her stuck weapon and dodged Danhauser's thrust. "C'mon! That's all you got?!" Taking a firm hold of her son's weapon, she whirled him around and tossed him aside with ease.

Unfurling his wings, he built some distance and charged at her, spear ready for a stab.

The black-red-haired devil was quick to pull her stuck weapon out and block Danhauser's lance, she hopped back to build momentum and rushed after her son.

He had narrowly stalled his mother's strike but watched a wretched, stained grin split the devil's lips as his spear shivered under the brutality of her compelling strength. "You fight like old people fuck!" She taunted, pressing closer to his face and whipping around to smack his weapon away from his swollen fingers.

He never had the time to locate his spear's final location, he just reacted fast, cocked his fist back and punched just as she imitated his moves. Their punches collided and cancel one another as a shockwave shook the branches and leaves of all the trees around them.

The gray-haired boy never wasted a beat. He swung his clenched hand and aimed after her cheek. Amazingly enough, he landed the punch. Her face shifted forcibly to the side, but no blood and drool spilled from her mouth. Her body didn't even recoil. She glared at him, her red eyes burning glee, as her lips twisted into a slasher smirk.

"Nice try!" She tossed her trident aside, easily catching Danhauser's next attack. "You can pack quite the punch!"

With jaw-dropping speed, Danhauser felt the knuckles of Calcabrina Belial damaging his nose, almost thrown away if it wasn't for his mother's kindness who grabbed him by the hair and crashed her knee into his gut.

It led him to one conclusion: that fucking hurt.

The young devil keeled over as blood spilled from his throat, but he never straightened as a roundhouse kick hurled him away. Even with a blurred sight, Danhauser maneuvered his way to avoid crashing into several trees. In the end, sooner or later, he had to put a halt to this. He dug his fingers on the dirt, leaving a trail and successfully slowing down his speed.

Searching from left to right, he spotted his spear resting in the grass. He kicked the weapon up and caught it, quickly taking a stance as the sound of wings flapping became louder.

Looking forward, Calcabrina raced after him, not done pummeling him. She'd invoked her wings and launched herself like a cannonball with her hands grasping her trident.

To his chagrin, the woman closed in and encircled him, leaving behind afterimages to confuse her son. She finally took the opportunity and lunged Danhauser with her weapon, her copies following her movements.

Danhauser's expression hardened as he fought back, miraculously defending against the older devil. He either dodged or parried his mother's thrusts before giving one of his own. He could feel his heart racing as his endurance slowly began to wear out.

"Stop," she ordered strongly, freezing him with mere words. Calcabrina building some space. "That's enough for today. Your form has improved considerably. The pace of your progress is remarkable and you have a better understanding of your spear. However, there's still room for improvement, during a fight hold your spear motionless, and concentrate as a heron hunting a fish. The tip cannot waver. Understood?"

His knees were losing their strength, but Danhauser nonetheless he tiredly nodded. "D-did you have to almost kill me during our spar?"

"This training is the one that we, the Malebranche used back when Lucifer governed. Throwing children into harsh conditions will ultimately make them strong." She explained, resting a hand on her curved hip. "This harshness is for you to achieve speed, muscle control, and the flow of power for you to protect yourself from the dangers of this world."

Training with Diehauser Belial and Malacoda Malebranche was a horrible experience, Danhauser didn't last too much and his body would be bruised, and his clothes tattered, meanwhile his uncle and brother would be as clean as a polished car. But slowly he began to see immense progress, regardless of his obvious defeats against the ultimate class devils, such as defeating Vali Lucifer.

However, those two at least knew when to end a sparring session.

Calcabrina is a different story, she was strict.

As the Queen of the House of Belial, her demeanor could swap from that of a proper, young noble lady of the Belial Family to that of the vulgar, quarrelsome and warrior-like attitude that the Malebranche Clan is infamous of. Her real personality was mostly to do thanks to her former household were made of males with her being the only woman and third strongest, falling short to the likes of her older brother, Barbariccia Malebranche and her eldest brother, Evil Tail Malacoda.

Unfortunately, Diehauser had a job that involved his full attention and time as Lord of Belial and Head Senator, thus unable to have moments to train with Danhauser in terms of hand-to-hand combat and Worthlessness. His mother only filled the part of spear and Pitch Resin. Senjutsu is where he had to do it by himself.

Steadily, Danhauser dropped on the grass, letting his back enjoy the tree acting as a support. "Mom, were the Malebranche Clan involved in the Great War and Civil War?"

"What an unexpected question," she commented, dusting her full-body outfit that highlighted her curvaceous body. "The Malebranche were not involved during the Great War, in the Civil War, on the other hand…"

"You participated."

"… _Forcefully_ participated," she corrected with a sigh. "As the Old Satan Faction and Anti-Satan Faction kept attacking one another, we, the Malebranche, assaulted their settlements for resources and take them back to Malebolge." She brushed a hand across her long red-black hair. "We were not affiliated to any of them. Even if they tried to sign a truce with us, we downright refused… that was until the Old Satan Faction surrounded us by surprise and forced us to join their ranks."

"Wait…" Danhauser drawled, repeating her words in his head. "…You fought with the Old Satans?"

"Oh yes," Calcabrina laughed a little. "Malacoda knew we have screwed anyway, that sooner or later any of them would come for revenge after stealing their stuff. We became infamous and feared between the army of Ars Goetia and ours. Unfortunately, our fate had to come to an end when your uncle in his True Form alongside the son of Beelzebub fought against Sirzechs himself... defeat was inevitable."

He pondered a bit, paying no mind as his mother sat beside him. "How did Ars Goetia even accept you?" He wondered aloud. "You were their enemies, shouldn't they have executed all of you. I'm glad you're still alive, but you get what I mean."

"When the war concluded, they imprisoned your uncle," she responded stiffly. "They were scheduling an execution for him and we were terrified, w-we'd begged the Old Satans to rescue my brother, but they just retreated to the depths of the Underworld. Malacoda told us to stay away from this, that he'll find a way to escape, we'd never trusted his words. I-I was scared of losing my dumbass brother..."

He carefully held her hand, squeezing it."… What did you do then?"

"I acted on instinct, I offered myself to any one of the remaining Pillars in exchange of Malacoda's freedom." She replied. "Few were against it, but Zekram was not and that alone changed their opinions." She smiled a little, toying with her hair. "So, I was married to Matanbuchus, your father, and we didn't go well for a while, your uncle wanted your father's head on a spike, but… well…"

"You fell in love with him."

"Yes. And one of the greatest things happened in my life." She sighed contently. "Diehauser was born and years later, you were. To be honest, I never expected to be a mother, I was born from a Clan that was only seeking fighting opponents. I always thought I'd carry only my trident, but later on, I'd found myself holding my pride and joy." She wrapped an arm around him, edging him closer. "I know I don't say this often. But I love both of you, regardless of how much I want my babies to stay away from the Rating Games… I just wish I could do something to help you against the terrorists you're facing."

"You are. You're training me." He snuggled in. "Thanks, mom, er, I mean, _Calcabrina_."

"We finished our training, sweetie," his mother poked his nose. "You don't have to call me like that."

Danhauser just hummed. "Huh, this has to be one of the few times we hugged, it's mostly Cleria that does that."

His mom snickered. "Well, sweetie, as your mother, I can't fall behind your cousin, right?" At that moment her arms squeezed a fraction tighter.

A part of him wanted to go to Kuoh Town and look over his cousin. Fortunately, there was only Kuroka.

She wouldn't hurt Cleria, she has no reason to. She's not a murderer. The sole reason why the Nekoshou even killed her master was to protect her little sister, Shirone. Even if he disliked her character and ranked her rather low, he has to admit that was an admirable decision from her. Unfortunately, even if the Belial Clan has an immense power in politics, it'd be impossible for them to erase the charges aimed after Kuroka. All in all, there's no way for him to recruit her in his Peerage and give her shelter.

If she, however, stayed in Ryuukou Town, then he wouldn't mind. It'll be difficult to convince the others to not treat her differently, though. Since news of Lord Zagan being killed by the hands of his only bishop, reached across the Underworld, it was unlikely most of them would accept Kuroka with arms wide open.

After a few peaceful minutes, they broke the embrace when a teleportation circle appeared in front of them.

They were Gilles de Rais and Valerie Tepes.

"Ah! Milady, young master!" The French butler gave a respectful bow. "I apologize for appearing without a warning! But I came here to give my report."

Clashing stares with Valerie, Danhauser smiled at her and waved.

The girl returned the gesture.

Calcabrina sighed, passing her arm over her sweaty forehead. "I'm all ears, Gilles."

"Excellent," the blue-haired man coughed into his fist. "I have completed my patrol of the Belial territory, milady. All appears to be in order. I found no sign of the stray devil nearby. I believe we are safe for the night."

"That's good to hear, Gilles, thank you." She nodded. "But I still want guards to keep an eye out just for safe measure."

"Absolutely, if we spot the Stray Devil, it shall be executed right away." He nodded. "While on my rounds, I took it upon myself to inspect the army's weaponry as well. I have placed any items that showed exceptional usage outside your chamber or those of our troopers if any upcoming battle arises. Be your choice to sell or repair them with a nearby blacksmith, madam, I encourage an immediate decision."

"Oh my, Gilles," she whistled, hand on her cheek. "You were really busy today, huh? I'm sorry, I shouldn't put so much weight on your shoulders. You must be stressed."

"None of that. I have done nothing more than my duty as a Queen of Emperor Belial." His eyes suddenly strayed over Danhauser. "Oh! Beg pardon, young master, but I noticed you often cause a ruckus when training. With that in mind, I reinforced the walls of any large rooms you're likely to use to enhance your skills and senses."

Danhauser winced a little. "Um, yeah. Good job. Sorry about the mess, by the way."

"Do not worry, young master." He returned his attention to Calcabrina. "I almost forgot. The nights are increasing in terms of coldness. I procured blankets from a nearby village and brought them here. I've arranged to order a variety of colors so you might pick that which best suits you in appearance or personality."

"Gilles," Calcabrina called out.

Unfortunately, Bluebeard was in his own world already. "If I may, Madam, a pink tint would seem to best capture your unmatched beauty. But perhaps black just like your hair. Or maybe a thought for the gray color to represent the House of Belial? Or red like your eyes? Just to be safe? Yes, that's best. Red shall be! Whatever your choice is, they are safely secured with the maids."

"Do you even take a well-earned rest?"

"Nonsense milady!" Gilles denied. "As the Queen's Emperor I have to keep an eye from time to time around here. Something drastic could happen while I was slacking off."

"Why are you here, Valerie?" Danhauser greeted after looking away from the adults. "Don't tell me you were helping out Gilles?"

She scoffed dismissively. "Of course not." She denied, standing beside him. "My reason for coming here is just to commence my sessions now."

"Wait, you were serious?" Danhauser asked, surprised. "Woah, I thought you were just sarcastic."

She huffed indignantly. "I'm not sarcastic."

Danhauser curved an eyebrow.

"… Not most of the time, either way." She cleared her throat. "I pray I'm not late for my training."

"I fear you missed the session, Valerie," Calcabrina said whilst approaching them with Gilles at her side. "We finished minutes ago."

"Oh ...Damn."

"We did look for you, but it's essential that we keep to schedule." Lady Belial chided her. "In the end, I had to train with Danhauser without you. But seeing as you're here, I suppose I can work in a private session. Only if you're up for it, of course."

"Let's do it then," Valerie nodded with determination. "What are we working out today?"

"I want to take a look on your endurance," Calcabrina explained. "Let's see if you can last an hour before falling exhausted."

"Understood."

Danhauser laid a hand on her shoulder to get her attention. "Are you seriously going to train with your dress on?" He asked, looking at her from head to shoes.

"What of it?" she scowled. "I don't care what happens to my dress. It's just mere clothing. Nothing more."

"Regardless of that, you need something suitable to train," Calcabrina sided with her son. "Your attire is just going to stand in your way and make things more troublesome for you. Gilles, bring some water and something for her to wear."

"As you wish, milady."

"You want me to change here, in a forest?" Valerie asked incredulously. "Surely, this has to be a horrible joke."

"We're surrounded by bushes," Calcabrina gestured around them. "You'll be fine. Just be careful of the squirrels."

"Oh, that sounds wonderful," Valerie rolled her eyes. "All my problems were solved because of this."

"Are you sure you want to do this, Missus?" Danhauser asked, getting a slight glare out from her. "The last thing I want to see is you dying on me. I'll be sad if that happens."

"It's Valerie and nice try. But you're not going to scare me that easily," the dhampir dryly stated. "It's just training my endurance. What could possibly go wrong?"

"Heh," Gilles chuckled darkly. "Famous last words."

* * *

"…" Calcabrina Belial, Danhauser Belial, and Gilles de Rais circled the heavily exhausted girl spread face first on the grass.

"Well," the heir began. "I expected her to fall unconscious halfway through. I was proven wrong apparently."

"Indeed," the French butler nodded in agreement.

Valerie Tepes groaned, muffled by the grass and dirt.

"You appear to be unwell," Calcabrina noted, sighing. "You're just a little out of shape is all, that's easy to solve. Let's pick this up again tomorrow in the morning. Get a night's rest and eat some warm beans."

"I shall cook those beans then, milady!" Gilles bowed at them, teleportation circle beneath him. "By your leave!"

Calcabrina sighed again. "I'll take my leave… I have a job as Lady of Belial anyway..." she brought up a finger, a signal of warning. "Remember! Do not use your Sacred Gear, no pain no gain."

As Gilles and Calcabrina left the scene, Valerie shakily stood up. "W-wait!" She huffed, face flushed and sweat glistening. "Wh-what's... just happened...? My Vision... was fading with... darkness...everywhere... training shouldn't be so…draining…! I think I'm going to… die…"

"Ha!" Danhauser dropped to one knee and patted her back softly. "You're just being melodramatic, Valerie… I hope so."

"I… I anticipated sweat." She exhaustingly said. "I-I just never expected to feel my muscles aching… and my sight to blur! But you. You make it look so painless." She met his intense grey eyes from her spot. "What's your secret? Do you nullify tiredness with your Clan Trait?"

He winked down at her. "Just patience and persistence," He curtly responded. "Believe it or not, on my first days I was in your shoes, heck, maybe even worse. But I just kept going and got used to it."

Having a body that's way enhanced to that of a human is really a huge advantage, but Danhauser knows that physical training isn't the most essential thing. It's actually sleeping after a good exercise. Demonic Power and Senjutsu are a different story.

But apparently, being a human doesn't seem to hold them back to reach their peak as Apex humans. After all, Cao Cao, Ewald Cristaldi, Vasco Strada and Arthur Pendragon are top notch in combat skills that could keep up with mythical creatures.

"Very unlikely I'll get used to this torture," Valerie crankily said, invoking her arachnid legs from her back and pulling herself up.

"With that attitude, you won't," Danhauser scolded lightly while moving to a nearby tree. "Don't tell me you're planning on giving up on your first day?"

"No," she bluntly replied, stretching out her spidery limbs. "I can't. Not anymore. The sole reason why I'm doing this is to be better in close quarters, properly use my arachnid form and…" she abruptly stopped, her mouth slightly open.

"And?" Danhauser dragged the question. "What's wrong, Valerie?"

She looked away. "I'm… I'm sorry, but I can't say it. I promise I'll share it with you later on. Just give me some time, please."

"Sure," Danhauser shrugged nonchalantly. "I won't force you but remember I'm here if you want to talk."

"I know," she succeeded in smiling faintly regardless of her tired eyes begging for a nap. "Say, what happened to Gasper? He left so suddenly without a proper farewell."

"The Satan Lucifer happened," explained Danhauser. "There's a Stray Devil on the loose so for his protection, Lucifer asked for Gasper to go back to the Gremory mansion."

"But will he come back?"

"Wait until everything comes back to normal and your wish will come true."

"What a waste of time," she snorted, brows knitted. "One of the things I dislike the most is politics. I can't understand how come someone would wish to become the leader of their respective faction. I would never accept the role of a King."

"I couldn't have said it better, former Fifth King of Tepes."

She blushed a little. "I-I was _forced_ by my brother!" she defended herself. "Besides, I wasn't the one giving orders across the Tepes Faction, it was Marius. I was just a figure, like the Four Great Satans."

"Relax, I was just kidding."

She softly grunted, her body slowly relaxing. "Either way, I'm honestly surprised that your mother didn't take us with her." The light-blonde looked at their surroundings pointedly. "After all, we're in the middle of the forest. We could get ambushed by this Stray Devil..."

"We're literally fighting terrorists," the heir pointed out. "A Stray Devil is nothing compared to what we're passing through, her Malebranche side believes in our strength."

Plus this is Kuroka. She's not evil.

"If you say so…" she cleared her dry throat. "Moving on. Anything you have in mind to properly train Gasper?"

The gray-haired devil hesitated. "… Honestly? I'm thinking of asking Azazel to take a look over Gasper's Sacred Gear and see if he can make something to stabilize it."

…

"I know you don't like the idea," Danhauser continued after a brief and tensed silence. "But if there's someone well informed about Sacred Gears and has a lot of swag, it's Azazel. I just need you to put some faith in me."

"And I will," she said with conviction. "I decided to stay with you because I trust you now, you know? From now on, I'll follow your lead, master."

 _"Was the purr at the end really necessary?"_ Danhauser couldn't shrug it off. The purr-like effect felt like a massage to his ears. It was a dangerous, yet oddly satisfying sensation. Plus add the fact that she's wearing training clothes that exposed more sweaty skin than her usual dress would ever offer, it definitely affected him.

"I, however, would love if you were present when that happens…" she rubbed her arm, her quiet voice barely audible. "Your company would be really appreciated…"

The heir winked, followed by a two finger salute. "I was going to tag along anyways."

Valerie gave him a little smile - a surprisingly shy one – and reached to play with a pigtail. "Hey, maybe after Azazel is done studying Gasper's Sacred Gear we can go somewhere else together… alone, I mean…" she fidgeted like a school girl. "Just the two of us and spend the day or night. It could be a walk around Kuoh or Ryuukou or even sit somewhere and watch the clouds, just two friends enjoying their time. W-we're friends, right? I know that we have a master and servant relationship, I mean, but when someone does everything to find your childhood friend you…sorry. I'm probably behaving very foolishly, but whenever Gasper isn't here, I… what I'm trying to say I'm lonely and I like you."

 _"…Holy fuck looks like Valerie wants to spend more time with me. That's a first time."_ He said to himself, half shocked and half excited. _"I could shoot her down, but why would I? She's a good girl, funny and I like her sense of humor. Could be fun to hang out with… plus I wouldn't deny if I feel attracted by her… maybe it could work?"_

"Sure Valerie," Danhauser gave a cheeky grin. "It's a date then."

The dhampir frowned while tilting her head. "Date?" She repeated, confused. "What's that?"

 _"Not the reaction I expected… I wanted to see her blush like Rias' hair and act all tsundere…feelsbadman."_ He swallowed a disappointed sigh. _"… But I can understand her reply… she was locked in a cell for a long time, thus missing what life has to offer her."_

A part of him was surprised that he wasn't acting awkward around her, he did the last thing he ever thought he would, try and tease her. Maybe he's getting used to her presence.

"A date when you go out with someone to know each other, their likes and dislikes, ideology, ambitions and so on," Danhauser answered, this time not teasing her.

She brought a finger to her lips in thought. "Then yes… I guess this could be categorized as a date." She nodded fervently. "Whenever you're free, let's go out to our date, Danhauser."

 _"It's cute how she says it with a determined face."_ He chuckled at her behavior. "That's a promise."

He just hoped he doesn't screw his first date.

* * *

Shouts and cries broke out, rising in volume, filling the air like thunder in the capital of Ars Goetia, Lilith. Devils outside the building, roaring their demands, a trickle of anger inside them- they'd grasped it, clung onto it, urged it to grow. The guards all lined up, blocking the only entrance, pushing them away with their long shields.

Thankfully, the Council of Seven were safely guarded in the last floor, a cold silence filled the room. Diehauser Belial gulped as he finally closed the curtain. "… What a horrifying view."

"They sure are persistent," Sirzechs Lucifer commented beside the Emperor. " They were here since the morning, but I can understand their anger… Because of this, the Clan Zagan is steps closer to extinction. Only Lady Zagan remains."

"He was one of the senators," Diehauser muttered. "Most of the time he was absent and rarely showed up, his wife had to do his role as a senator."

"Had he told you why he'd frequently skipped work?" Crimson Satan inquired.

"He'd kept us in the dark, his wife too." Emperor Belial responded. "… from the small hints we'd gotten, he said it was for the sake of our race."

"So, a devil purge?" Ajuka Beelzebub attempted to guess from his seat. "Finally, someone with initiative."

"Hilarious, Satan Beelzebub," Lord Bael growled. "Is that all you do in your job? Look down at your own race and cockily see yourself as the second coming?"

"To clear things up, just because I hold myself in high regard and have a low opinion of everyone else does not mean I'm arrogant."

Falbium Asmodeus lazily jerked a single eye open. "Huh, what?"

With a mutual sigh, Diehauser and Sirzechs joined the rest on the table. The Emperor spoke. "… Satan Leviathan was sent immediately to Kyoto to discuss with High Priestess Yasaka in case they'd seen the missing servants in her territory."

"Now that Falbium's servants are looking across Zagan's territory. That could be another great place for further investigation," Ajuka agreed. "Most of Lord Zagan's Peerage members are Youkais."

Lord Bael glared at the former heir of Gremory. "Isn't it dangerous to send her alone to Kyoto?" He asked. "What if the High Priestess is actually behind this and attacks Leviathan from the back?"

"Half of my Peerage alongside hers are acting as her bodyguards. Everything should be fine."

"This reminds me a lot of the meeting we had with Lord Pheles and those Stray Magicians," Falbium yawned out. "Perhaps there's a connection between this and the Utsusemi thing?"

Sirzechs laid both hands on the table. "I also started to theorize that this has to do with Lord Pheles' case." He pointed out, frowning. "But, if I'm allowed to put my two cents on this… I don't believe so. This has to be your typical reincarnated devil case."

Diehauser faced Sairaorg Bael's father. "Any idea where First Great King Bael is?"

"Interrogating Lady Zagan with the Archduke of Agares." He answered briefly. "The murderer known as Shirone is with them, locked on her cage."

His comment earned the narrowed eyes of Sirzechs. "Murderer?" He repeated, somewhat vexed. "It's hard to believe that a young girl could kill someone older than her."

"Plus from what we could barely see inside her cage, there was not a single drop of blood stained in her," Falbium added. "Nor the smell of it."

"Don't let her puppy-dog eyes blind you two from the truth." Lord Bael warned sternly. "It'll bite you in the ass later on."

"As much as I hate to admit it, I have to agree with Lord Bael," Ajuka looked rather displeased, but not regretful. "A cute face can hurt just as much as a rough one. Perhaps more."

Lord Bael found himself smirking. "Ha! In just mere seconds, you've become my favorite Satan! Good job!"

Ajuka visibly cringed. "… Was that supposed to be a compliment?"

The Champion instantly stood up, getting everyone's attention. "For the time being, we shouldn't jump to conclusions before we are fully informed on the case. Let's stay calm everyone." Diehauser said, trying to put an end to the upcoming brawl.

"Yes, I couldn't agree more." Sirzechs shot a hard stare at his childhood friend. "Isn't that right, Satan Beelzebub?"

Ajuka just shrugged, looking unbothered by this.

After minutes of silence, a magical circle appeared, the sight of three figures slowly approaching them. They stood up in respect after identifying them.

Zekram Bael, Lord Agares and Elder Naberius.

A pissed looking Naberius, carrying Shirone's cage.

"We apologize for using a teleportation spell," Zekram said, calmly dusting his attire. "We know it's illegal using teleportation techniques in Lilith, but there's a horde outside that wants the girl executed. We were left with no choice."

Just as the three reached the table, Naberius slammed the cage on it, the prisoner yipping in fear. "Why is she still alive?!" He shook the box for emphasis. "Because of her, someone from my Clan was murdered!"

"Finally, someone who agrees with me." Lord Bael muttered. "The girl will just become a problem in the future…"

"He wasn't from your Clan anymore, Elder Naberius." Lord Agares countered, adjusting his glasses. "He became the husband for Lady Zagan to keep her household away from facing extinction by conceiving a child… unfortunately, we're back to square one."

"He's still my descendant!" Elder Naberius barked but stopped when a hand attached on his shoulder.

It was Zekram. "We don't know if the girl is still the guilty party here. Let us solve this first and later point fingers."

The fellow elder gritted his teeth and silently took his seat.

"Found anything to in our favor?" Diehauser asked, sitting on the edge of his seat.

Zekram grunted. "The woman kept repeating 'cat' as a mantra. She's suffering a mental breakdown." He unconsciously took a seat, fists clenched. "We had interrogated her butler. Apparently, the girl locked in the cage has an older sister called Kuroka."

"Do we know about her whereabouts?" Sirzechs asked. "How's her appearance?"

The first Bael shook his head. "Absolutely nothing." He interlocked his fingers. "She's a Nekoshou, black hair, tails, golden eyes and well developed in terms of the body if the butler speaks the truth." He chuckled bitterly. "He believes she's the one who murdered Lord Zagan."

Falbium frowned. "Any reason why?"

"She was a valuable piece in Lord's Zagan Peerage, she consumed two bishops," Lord Agares stated. "In terms of magical prowess, she'd surpassed the Queen and even her King."

"Aren't those just speculations?" Ajuka massaged his eyes. "Was he even there when Lord Zagan was murdered?"

"No," Lord Agares bluntly replied, eliciting a snort from the Maou. "He was cleaning a room when he heard his scream. When he reached the main room, on the floor was splattered the fresh corpse of Lord Zagan and a window broken…" his pink, sharp eyes shifted over the cage. "…and the girl identified as Shirone was spotted in the very same room."

"That's one of the few reasons the butler believes this Kuroka killed him," Zekram continued. "Kuroka wasn't only known because of her magic usage, but her Senjutsu abilities as well."

Diehauser looked up at that, worried. "Senjutsu? What does it have to do with this?"

"Senjutsu allows the user to read and handle spirit energy," the first Naberius replied. "But it also takes in the malice and ill will that surrounds the world, the malice will corrupt the user if the latter is a mere amateur."

"More reasons to execute the girl before it's too late." Lord Bael said, frustrated.

The Champion paled a little. "… I see."

Sirzechs looked at him, concerned. "Is something worrying you, Emperor Belial?" He asked, gesturing at the exit. "If this meeting is making you dizzy then you can go outside and—!"

"I'm fine," Diehauser heaved a sigh. "Just thinking about something else. Thanks for the gesture, though."

"Something that wasn't addressed yet…" Falbium drawled, pointing a lazy finger at the cage. "That girl, I don't sense any demonic power coming from her body. I guess it's safe to say she wasn't even part of Lord Zagan's Peerage."

"You stand correct," Lord Agares responded. "… Interesting enough, from what Elder Naberius told us is that Kuroka and Shirone don't come from Kyoto or even the small tribes spread across the Underworld, they're from the City of Dis."

"My descendant bought them from Lord Nebiros." Elder Naberius explained, clenching and unclenching his fists desperately. "Similar to the Belial Clan and the Malebranche Clan. My Clan and the Nebiros Clan have been negotiating together for ages. We're one of the greatest buyers in his district."

Ajuka shaped a pyramid with his fingers. "Perfect. Then we have our first suspect on the list." His eyes surveyed each present figure. "I suggest that we get a personal talk with Lord Nebiros."

"A dangerous request," Zekram warned him, eyes darkening. "… He's well-known and respected in the City of Dis and Extra Demon Faction because of his hard work and production of good quality products… and the second strongest house just behind the Lucifuge Clan."

"I'll make it easier for you," Elder Naberius fought a cocky smirk. "His name is _Nebuchad Nezzar Nebiros_."

"…" Lord Agares frowned knowingly but remained quiet.

Lord Bael clicked his tongue.

Emperor Belial groaned. "A name and a middle name."

"Then it means he's the firstborn of elder Nebiros." Sirzechs' mouth pursed. "That's not a good sign."

"Someone you don't want to mess with," Ajuka added, humming. "… Even so, we have no other option left. We have to figure something out before the Ars Goetia panics."

"If you want Lord Nebiros to come here then we can still try," Zekram assured him. "What I am implying is to tread lightly around him… we don't want trouble with the Extra Demons."

All eyes landed on Elder Naberius who snorted whilst shaping a magic sigil close his ear. "Fine, I'll make the call." He stood up and walked away. "I'll be absent throughout the meeting. Justice better prevail."

"We'll do our best, Naberius," Zekram said.

"While you're at it, I think I'll call someone who could help us in choosing the girl's fate," Diehauser stood up from his seat, eyeing the cage. "A risky idea, but it's to clean her name."

Lord Bael scoffed. "I'm still against it, but go on, whatever lets you sleep tight, Emperor Belial."

* * *

Everyone spun their necks to the twin doors slowly cracking open. A middle-aged looking man with heterochromia, for both his eyes and hair. One side of his hair is white, while the other half is black. It reminded Diehauser Belial of a zebra.

It took hours for him to make his way to Lilith, half an hour for him to get inside the building safely. Ars Goetia was kind enough to lend a few guards to shield him from any danger. Even if the savage devils weren't actually throwing him whatever they had in their grasp. On the contrary, all that unfair anger was aimed at the caged girl, Shirone.

They couldn't care less for Lord Nebiros.

"First of all," Nebuchad Nezzar Nebiros stated as he closened distance. "I have nothing to do with the murder of Lord Zagan himself." His eyes landed on the short figure lying on the table. He scowled as his heart missed a beat. "Second of all… why is Shirone unconscious on the table?"

Zekram Bael gave a sardonic smile. "Why, it's nice seeing you too! How have you been? I'm so glad your father showed you how to greet people like a true gentleman."

"Wasn't he the one who told us to tread lightly around Lord Nebiros?" Falbium Asmodeus said under his breath. "He's trying to push his buttons already."

"What did you expect from a hypocrite?" Ajuka Beelzebub whispered back. "Listen to his own words?"

Sirzechs Lucifer jabbed him with his elbow, prompting to stay quiet.

Lord Nebiros grunted, finally dropping in his seat. "I don't have any words to speak with you." He folded his arms, jostling closer to his chair. "The sole reason I accepted coming here is just to speak with Elder Naberius after finishing this waste of time. Now, all of you are familiar with the motto of the City of Dis: time is money. So, just get straight to the point."

"I don't like him already," Lord Bael grumbled to Lord Agares who just adjusted his glasses.

"Answering your previous questions…" Diehauser sighed. "We arranged a meeting with you to speak about the case of Lord Zagan, I hope you're informed already?" He just received a nod from the honored guest. "Great, that saves us a lot of time. Now, for your next question…"

Diehauser invoked a crystal ball, where an image was being projected. "…We'd used a sleeping spell on her to make the job of my bishop easier and faster. He made a copy of some of her memories and placed them on this crystal ball."

"… So you used black magic on her?" Nebuchad growled out. "… You could've damaged her mind. Badly."

"My bishop made sure to clean her from any remains of black magic," Sirzechs eased his worries. "She's safe now, only tired because of the process."

Nebuchad pointedly stared at the strongest devil before facing the unconscious nekoshou. His gaze softening. "… I guess that was the better choice." He softly said. "The kitty must've been traumatized."

Lord Agares coughed behind a fist. "Thanks to the Emperor's bishop, we found out who the murderer. It's Kuroka, your oldest daughter."

Lord Nebiros grunted. "They're not my daughters." He sharply pointed out, continuing. "Because of the unfortunate departure of Lord Zagan and the dark fate of the Clan, I'm willing to give some of my fortunes to pay any debts the housecarl is facing as well as organize the burial of Lady Zagan's husband. That should aid her a little to cover any issues the Clan is financially facing."

"We appreciate your gestures, Nebuchad," Zekram thanked, tapping constantly a finger on the table. "… Notwithstanding acts coming from the heart won't turn a blind eye when someone's life has been taken." He bored holes at Nebiros' mixed eyes. "We're in a hurry now, so I'll keep it brief. Are you involved in any of this?"

Lord Nebiros laughed by the remark. "What? Of course, I'm not." Nebuchad shook his head in denial. "You're accusing the wrong man, Zekram. I just did my usual job as a seller of the City of Dis, Lord Zagan bought them. He was just unlucky."

"Oh dear, would you be heartbroken if I said I don't believe any of your words?" Lord Bael spoke dryly. "Sorry, I can't say I buy it. You'll have to do better than that."

"Then, by any means, send anyone to inspect the Nebiros District, be my guest." Lord Nebiros gestured nonchalantly at the exit. "You can ask my workers about the archived papers I'd saved on my cabinets if you want, everything you need is over there."

Lord Bael's eyes narrowed his leery eyes. "… You're fine with us inspecting every corner of your territory?"

"Are you deaf or what?" His voice screamed annoyance. "I said yes, I don't have anything to hide."

Trying his best to swallow his anger, Lord Bael turned to Falbium. "I want your Peerage to take a look over Nebiros District. Stay alert if there any traps hidden inside his facilities."

Lord Nebiros almost blew air from his nose but stuck with glaring back at the first Bael. "Is something wrong, Zekram?"

"…" The black-haired elder refused to speak for long minutes. Finally, he shrugged nonchalantly. "Nothing wrong I'm afraid."

Nebuchad fought a wince, while those carefree words didn't sound so threatening, they had a meaning that the whole room caught on.

 _I'm watching you._

Just as Satan Asmodeus stretched up and shaped a demonic circle beside his ear, Diehauser took this chance to speak with the child of Nebiros. "If you're clean from this case, then you're free to go, however, I'm afraid you'll have to stay here until we collected enough proof to prove your innocence."

The white-black haired devil obnoxiously rolled his eyes. The answer, unfortunately, had to be yes. Refusing to cooperate in front of a two Satan-Class and two Super Devils was a fool's gambit. Questions would rise, doubt would show and imprisonment would eventually happen. Plus the risk of them finding of his collaboration with Qlippoth from the shadows.

Honestly, Euclid Lucifuge sent him on a suicidal mission, he just hoped the second traitor of Lucifuge truly had anything planned to convince the Emperor and to an extent the house of Belial and Malebranche. Even without the full set of Evil Dragons, with Crom Cruach, Níðhöggr, those two Clans, and his Super Devil Project, chances of grasping victory increased.

As much as he wanted to leave Ars Goetia, he had a meeting with Elder Naberius in Lilith, orders of Euclid.

"Fine. I'll tag along," he frustratingly raised his hands, reluctantly slumping on his uncomfortable seat. "I hope this doesn't take most of my time, I'm a busy person."

"You could let the Emperor's bishop to roam inside your memories," Lord Bael chuckled daringly. "That way we can make this easier and faster for all of us."

Nebuchad folded his arms. "From what I was told, you can only use black magic over me if allow it. Seeing how many health risks I could face by accepting your terms, it would end up pretty bad from my perspective. So, I' m afraid I'll have to pass." He gestured with his chin at the unconscious girl. "What will happen to Shirone?"

"Since she wasn't a member of Lord Zagan's Peerage and Lady Zagan doesn't want anything involving Youkais from here on…" Ajuka drawled. "… You can take her back to the City of Dis since you were her last proprietor, thus having one again ownership over her. Unless you know who their parents were."

"They're dead."

"Hm. I thought so."

Sirzechs joined the conversation. "I have an offer that could pique your interest, Lord Nebiros, The City of Dis is well known for doing exchanges, right? Then I would love to make one with you. Right here, right now."

"…Hah?" Lord Nebiros found himself grinning goofily. "Such declaration coming from the strongest devil… are you really suggesting what I'm thinking?"

Zekram frowned, catching on. "… Be careful what you're doing, Satan Lucifer, you may regret it later on."

"Even if the girl isn't guilty of homicide, her Senjutsu could corrupt her." Lord Agares added. "And history will repeat itself."

"So you think she has a chance of killing me, Lord Agares?"

"It's not that," he said defensively. "There's not even the slightest chance that she could leave a scratch on you, let alone in your sleep. Your sister and your son on the other hand..."

"I appreciate your concern, Archduke of Agares," Sirzechs interrupted him. "But I know what I'm doing, please put some faith on me."

"As you wish."

The strongest Satan focused on Lord Nebiros once more. "How much would it be?" He asked, professionally clasping his hands on the table. "I'm willing to give any amount you ask for in return of the child."

"Humor me, Lucifer," Nebuchad snickered. "Why the sudden request? You'd just met her hours ago and you're already feeling pity for the kitten? I know the Gremory Clan is known because of their big hearts… but this is too much. Where's the problem?"

"The City of Dis _is_ the problem," Sirzechs retorted. "Each Lord of Dis has been in constant war for domination over the city, a child shouldn't live in a horrible environment like that. Besides, you were already planning on selling Shirone in the future, why not do it now?"

Minutes passed and the white-black eyed Devil just chuckled. "True, true… As much as I would love seeing the fake Lucifer on his knees and beg, I stand in agreement." He laid an arm on the table, pointing nonchalantly at the Nekoshou. "From now on, she's under your care."

"… That's it? Without something in exchange?"

"Yes." The look that Lucifer kept firing made him sigh. "I also don't agree someone of her age should wander on the streets of Dis, plus I don't have the time for playing as the babysitter, she's just going to slow me down. She's all yours, you better take care of her from now on. However…" He suddenly stood up, curling a hand around Shirone's hair and practically purring at his touch. "I'll take this."

He carefully snatched her two cat-shaped hair clips, catching them in midair before reclaiming his seat. "A memory."

The remaining Satans and Diehauser shared looks but raised no controversy.

* * *

"Everything went from bad to worse, Nebuchad!" The first Naberius snapped, serving himself a glass of his strongest liquor. "Lord Zagan is dead! Zekram has his eyes on you! The Super-Devil Project is incomplete! Our great work became shit in a matter of minutes!"

"At least I'm proven to be innocent," Nebuchad Nezzar Nebiros mumbled from the comfortable sofa, his distinct pupils enjoying the fireplace. "… Do they take so long to prove someone's innocence? It's nighttime already."

"Does that matters now?" Naberius growled, taking a large chunk and going for the second shot, almost finishing the bottle. "We lost everything! It's impossible to provide you with funds now that Zekram is tracking each move you make! Years of progress long gone forever by a fucking cat!"

Letting his mixed eyes roam from painting to painting, he calmly spoke. "There's actually another way."

Naberius immediately engrossed in his presence. "What?"

"…"

"Nebuchad, I've asked you something, you better answer me or else…!" It took him a while to finally catch up, but when he did, his eyes almost left his sockets. "Forget it! I will not be part of that, even less when Rudiger is around the castle!"

"There's no option left, Naberius!" Lord Nebiros shot back. "I have hours before Zekram does something. This is the easiest way, if you let me take a look over the piece, I could find a way to hasten the project!"

The elder slammed his empty glass. "Have you been listening to my rants, you fucking brat?" He throatily slurred. "The project is as good as dead."

"Are you sure about that?" The black-white haired devil challenged, pulling something out from his pocket. "Then take a look."

Naberius watched with a tight jaw on what's on the palm of his fellow devil. "… Hair clips? This is your ingenious plan?" He said flatly, meeting his gaze. "Are you retarded?"

"No." He said, tossing Shirone's hair clips in the air and catching them. "One of these clips houses the data to artificially make new Super Devils."

The elder stared as if Nebuchad invoked Lucifer. "Bullshit." He weakly said.

"I swear in the name of my father that I bring the truth and only the truth." He vowed, pocketing his treasure once more. "You don't have to send me a single cent from now on, I can handle the rest from here. I only need two favors from you, one of them is lending me your strongest piece."

Naberius stood and stared at his hands, or at least the now balled fists. He felt lost and confused, but excited and certain. He constantly ran his fingers over his hair and finally glared at Nebuchad. "Turn around." He ordered, no room for arguments.

Fighting a triumphant smirk, Lord Nebiros mockingly saluted and obeyed. The noises of locks getting solved made his eyes slowly peek behind his shoulder, but quickly regained his posture and scolded himself, followed by a painless slap on his cheek.

"Here," Lord Nebiros hastily faced his partner-in-crime once more, his heterochromia eyes indulged over the black case. "Go on, you know what to do."

Calming his beating heart, he nervously reached for the key and twisted it open. What laid inside drained a short gasp from him.

An item known as a myth and legend to this and the previous generations, its existence has the strength to shake the very foundations of hell and the power to turn a Low-Class devil straight to an Ultimate-Class devil, perhaps even more.

"The forbidden piece," Nebuchad said breathlessly, wrapping his fingers around it. "The king piece."

"The piece is deactivated," Naberius explained, eyeing his most valuable possession with slight hunger. "…Do not leak any of your demonic power whenever you carry it. If you do, you'll be connected with it and receive an immense boost of demonic power to the point that you'll explode. Literally."

"That's why you're supporting my project." Lord Nebiros bobbed his head clumsily, even if his attention wasn't torn away from the object, he was still listening. "To find a faster and safer way of becoming a Super Devil. Alright, got it."

Snapping his fingers across his guest's face, Naberius succeeded in shattering his trance. "I think it's time for you to go, Nebuchad. Keep that hidden from Rudiger as you leave."

"Of course!" Lord Nebiros rapidly nodded while locking the piece back inside the container. "I'll take my leave, then. Farewell."

Just as the child of Nebiros neared the exit, the elder called out. "What's your second favor?"

Without hesitating on his steps, he responded. "You'll have to wait."

* * *

Danhauser Belial placed his hand over the floor, concentrating as he molded a demonic circle. "That should do it." He nodded as he stood up, looking around as he appreciated his work. "… I've covered all the routes that Cleria would use to reach her house or Kuoh Academy. I should start now on the mall, the park and that coffee shop she loves a lot."

"Um," the blonde scratched her cheek. "You're talking to yourself again…"

"Yeah, I know. Just pay me no mind."

"Tee hee!" Jeanne tittered. "If you want, we could talk while we approach our next destination!" she offered with an approachable smile.

Danhauser pursed his lips and looked at the clouds. He knew why the saint was doing this, even a blind could see her moves. She wanted to deepen their relationship, not one of a romantic pair, but one where they can trust one another. He somewhat trusted her judgment, after all, the girl promised that no one from the Exorcists is near his cousin.

He could firmly say no and leave it there, but Jeanne is a stubborn saint and whenever she's adamant about something, she'll do whatever it takes to obtain it. To keep it brief, it could end in a discussion that could bring a lot of unpleasant attention and drama.

He wasn't in the mood for drama, he already is taking his doses on the issues he has with Satanael, Rizevim Livan Lucifer, and Cleria Belial's fate.

"Alright, let's play your game," he accepted as he placed another demonic circle on a nearby trashcan. "I do have a question that has kept bothering me since I've heard of you."

"What's your name, by the way? I never heard it back when we negotiated weeks ago."

"Danhauser, a pleasure," he replied shortly. "But everyone calls me Dan. Now, my turn. Are you the real Jeanne d'Arc?"

An awkward silence stretched at the thought of angering the fellow saint. "Look, if you don't want to answer then it's fine."

"No, no, no!" She rapidly shook her hands. "Everything's totally fine! It's just that you caught me off-guard by your bluntness…" She coughed quietly on her fist. "Answering your question… not I am not. I just carry her spirit."

"Carry her spirit?" Danhauser parroted. "What does that even mean?"

"It means that my body has the spirit of the Maiden of Orléans!" She playfully stuck her tongue out. "And since she's dwelling within me, I have access to her Sacred Gear."

 _"Just like Issei and Ddraig?"_ He pondered a bit. _"Does that mean back in the days of the original Jeanne… Did she carry Blade Blacksmith? Did the original Heracles wield Variant Detonation?"_

"There's no way someone like me could be like the real holy saint," Jeanne gushed out. "… It would be amazing, but still…"

Taking a brief stop to plant a demonic circle on the log of a tree, he frowned. "Then why is the Vatican insisting you're the real deal?" He questioned. "… Unless the Vatican and you are lying, of course."

"…"

Her silence was enough. "Why?" He couldn't help but ask. "Why are you lying to those who look up to you?"

"Because I didn't understand the mess everyone threw me in!" She defended herself. "Everything commenced when I was five years old, I was just a naïve girl back then… everyone saw me as someone who I wasn't in the first place." She hugged herself. "… Since then, it was too late to spread the truth. People would be saddened and enraged if they find out."

"Don't you hate her or at least hold a grudge at her?" He asked. "Because of her, no one sees you of who you really are, just as the Holy Saint. Not Jeanne, the mere girl."

She smiled weakly. "Of course I don't. I love her." Her response carried no hesitation in her voice. "Did you know the purpose of the saints is presented to believers as role models whose lives are worthy to be imitated? Since no one can be like the Lord, the Church encouraged us to follow in their steps. In my case, my idol is Jeanne d'Arc herself."

"That's practically your role in the Vatican, right?" Danhauser guessed. "For children and adults to see you as a good example to follow."

"… Oui, that would be, moderately, correct." She sighed shakily. "They see me as Jeanne d'Arc, as their heroine… not myself."

"…"

"Dan?" Jeanne shook his arm slightly, concerned. "Are you alright? You became quiet for a while."

He shook his trance. "Sorry, I distracted myself for a second there." He harrumphed. "Say, why did you tell me all of this? We're not enemies… but not allies either. I could use this information to my advantage."

To his surprise, she just smiled warmly at him. "Because you won't." She confidently said. "I can tell you're a good person."

It was her turn to be surprised when Danhauser laughed at her statement. "Devil and good don't match one another, you know?"

Even then, it's very unlikely that the followers of God would even listen to the words of creatures categorized as evil, wicked, brutal, bad, scum, wrong, brute, vicious and liars by all Church installations. Heck, chances of barely stepping a foot inside their territory safely are almost null.

"Hmph. That's what Touji once said." The saint recalled stopping just as Danhauser did. "Not the same words, but the same ideology. I believe he's wrong. To me, regardless of your race, you can be a kind soul… or in your case spirit."

"We barely met and yet you are praising me like that?" He asked incredulously. "Don't take it wrong. I appreciate your words, but… I don't agree too much with you. I'm an ass from time to time."

"I was an asshole too back then!" Jeanne declared enthusiastically. She flushed under the devil's blank gaze. "Er, ahem, I mean, I had a… different personality years ago. But that doesn't matter, your actions are enough proof."

"Such as?"

"The negotiation we had not so long ago," the blonde reminded him. "You did it for your cousin and what we're doing right now is also for your cousin. Patrol and fill the place with traps to make sure no outside forces could harm this town!"

Pressing a palm on a passing bench, he sighed. "I'm not doing this for Kuoh Town," he replied as he retrieved his hand back, making sure a magic circle was left in there. "I'm doing this for my cousin. The town is just a bonus."

"And I'm grateful for that," she clasped both hands, bowing her head. "Really."

His lips curled up. "Yeah, no problem." He said as silence slowly expanded between them. "… If it makes you feel better, I see you as Jeanne. Not as Joan of Arc."

Words never left her mouth, but just by gazing at her tiny hops and her humming a happy song, he sure bet Danhauser made her day.

He looked away from her and frowned. In a way, her and his problems are quite the same, he believes that either way.

Everyone loves her because they think she's _the_ Orléans Saint, not her.

His family loves him because they believe he's the _real_ Danhauser, not him.

Gritting his teeth he violently shook his head. _"Not gonna think of that ever again."_ He said to himself, massaging his temple. " _I need to be concentrated from now on… I can't screw up. I can feel it, we're getting closer."_

* * *

 ** _Guest reviews:_**

 ** _Guest: lol, sorry for making you wait, but here it is!_**

 ** _Guest: Gracias por tu comentario! Lavinia es una de mis personajes favoritos tambien por la misma razon, rara vez encuntras a Vali actuar timidamente frente a alguien. No te preocupes, ella seguira apareciendo más adelante. Saludos!_**

 ** _Lurker: Incorrecto :)._**

 ** _Danhauser x Cleria fans: That name tho, lol. I have everything planned already, just like everyone you'll have to wait. Just two chapters, hang in there!_**

* * *

 ** **Since I know people is going to address this subject I'll explain it here and now. The reason of why Shirone and Kuroka aren't in the Peerage it's because we are** 2 ****chapters close to canon. There's no way I could develop them in two chapters and make them join his Peerage and trust him. Well, actually I can, but in a rushed, lazy way. Something that would make me cringe.  
**

 **Now, taking a look over the reviews of people trying to guess who's octopus and bighorn sheep was a sight to behold. I won't say if someone guessed it or not, but I'd promised I'll give more hints. So, I'll just give a few and LASTS hints for the octopus.**

 **Before I get started, his appearance (yes, he's male) is purely made on my head, since he never makes an appearance in the LN'S yet, at the same time, he did. Don't let the that disrupt you, just focus on the hints.**

 **Hints:**

 **...**

 **He was killed by someone from the Top Ten Strongest Beings in the World.**

 **A portion of his consciousness resides on someone's Sacred Gear.**

 **...**

 **Maybe my hints are difficult or I suck making them. Then again, I shouldn't be doing this in the first place, but there you go.**

 **Again, these are the lasts hints. If no one guessed it, then you'll have to wait until he makes his debut. If someone does it or you find out who's octopus, then pat yourself on the back and congratulate yourself.**

 **And yes, Bighorn Sheep and Octopus are going to appear. Back then only one of them would make it to my fanfic, but I loved what I have planned for them in the future that I decided to use both of them. Weak from my part.**

 **A final comment, the upcoming two chapters are going to be difficult to write, so don't be too shocked if it takes me some time to upload them, chapter 28 will have A LOT of POV'S and it's going to be large for reasons that you'll see later on.**

 **Only two chapters left, honestly, I'm getting hyped.**

* * *

 **Slash 27: Dog of the Blade/ Chaos-Edge Sieg  
**


	27. Dog of the Blade Chaos-Edge Sieg

**Yes, the chapter is 20k long. I'm sorry. I d** **idn't know where to end it. Keep in mind next chapter will big as well.  
**

 **Just for this occasion, I won't be replaying guests because of reasons. Nonetheless, thank you all for your reviews.**

 **Yes, I changed the title cuz, it was so chuuni asf that reached Fanfiction's word limit. Feelsbadman.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Slash 27. Dog of the Blade/Chaos-Edge Sieg**

* * *

"No, you won't go Balance Break, Tobio." Danhauser Belial firmly declined, shifting his hardened gaze over his other knight. "And no, you're _not_ going to Kuoh to talk with Freed and this David. I don't want you near them, at all."

It hadn't taken too long for the two of them to snap out of it, mostly through the actions Danhauser had made in the past. Even if Danhauser and his Peerage were once again assisting any case that involved Satanael and his crew, he thought it'd be a great idea to carefully, once again, approach Kuoh Town to deliver flyers to any human in need of a selfish wish. Siegfried thought it'd be a good opportunity to catch up with his former teacher and partner in crime.

Like the evil leader he was, Danhauser immediately turned down the knight's requests.

It was either ironic or hypocritical from Danhauser's part. After all, he was having now and then a meeting with Jeanne to keep a keen eye over the streets of Kuoh Town around afternoon and nighttime. His servants already knew about this professional relationship with the saint, something that made Danhauser confused about why Siegfried wouldn't bring that up as a counter to his king's neglection.

Maybe Siegfried understood what he's going through.

Tobio also took a long ride on Siegfried's restless train. Thanks to his childhood friend, Sae Toujou, who'd begged Cleria Belial to make sure a black recorder reached Danhauser's hand and ended up in Slash Dog's grasp. After knowing who the sender was, that alone had made the latter hurriedly listen to everything in private. It carried the voice of his grandmother, Ageha Ikuse. The message was as clear as crystal. It was the chant to trigger Canis Lykaon's Balance Breaker.

Even if the Light Novel of Slash/Dog contained only a single volume, it was decent enough to be well-informed of the main cast and the antagonists. Unfortunately, Tobio, by any means, couldn't handle his Balance Breaker, while it gave him a boost in terms of strength and better control over darkness, the Sacred Gear's balance breaker was, in truth, a double-edged sword. It made the user go into a frenzied state, indiscriminately attacking allies and foes alike.

Heck, in the Light Novel, almost near the epilogue, he dismembered Himejima Hanezu's arms before decapitating him. Azazel needed to use a talisman to keep him at bay, Lavinia Reni had to use her Longinus to freeze the darkness that was forged as sharp blades and Vali Lucifer had to divide his powers to stop Tobio from doing something that he would regret in the future.

Of course, Azazel was more than enough to drop Tobio unconscious, but they were seeking for a non-lethal route.

"Come on, boss!" Tobio tried to persuade him, sunlight dappling his brunet hair. "We can't waste this chance now! Who knows? Maybe the Balance Breaker was the key we needed to defeat Satanael!"

Jin barked in agreement!

Danhauser inwardly sighed. "Maybe it would be enough to catch him off-guard, but defeat him? Unlikely." He retorted, arms folded. "He's a cadre and participated in a war, he has far more experience than all of us together. What we're going to do is visit Azazel and wait for a solution."

He already knew about the Sacred Gear, but Danhauser preferred if Azazel was the one doing the explanation, they'd get suspicious if they find out that their King knew every tiny aspect of the Longinus when it's not even his forte. He wasn't the brain when it involved Sacred Gears.

"Can you at least tell me at least why you're against it? This is something we can't just _push_ aside… especially me."

"This is not just a mere Sacred Gear, Tobio," Danhauser answered strictly. "This is a _Longinus_ , and since we're referring to Canis Lykaon, it's capable of tinting the world in darkness in the wrong hands. We don't know if you're capable of holding your sanity while in balance breaker."

Even if they were training to become stronger and showed good progress, Tobio has mostly been honing his skills in the way of the sword, thanks to Siegfried, rather than his Sacred Gear. Again, the most suitable for this job is the Governor-General Azazel.

Tobio's mouth pursed but relented.

 _"I should tell Valerie to summon Gasper too, that way I would kill two birds with one stone."_ The gray devil mused and noticed how Siegfried was looking at him intently and pleadingly. He furrowed his brow and made contact. "Drop this already. Remember that everyone thinks that you're sleeping with the fishes right now. If they find out you're still alive and kicking, we would get in trouble with the church."

"Master, but they already know that I'm still alive," Siegfried shot back. "I can bet that most of the exorcists believe that I'm still breathing."

Slash Dog blinked. "Wait…"

"…What?" Danhauser murmured."How's that even possible? Back when we'd rescued you from that tribe filled with werewolves, my brother and Gilles had made sure that the coast was as clear as the sea. There's no way they missed out survivors."

"Whoa hold on!" Tobio said aloud, eyes wide. "You were in the middle of a werewolf pack?! Damn, that's some bad luck you got there, Sieg."

Jin barked!

The Japanese boy brought a hand to his neck. "Well, yeah, I suppose you're right. He was lucky that the Belial family came to the rescue," he muttered. "… Or else he'd be a werewolf chew toy."

"… Vatican Headquarters Directive Six-Eight-Four," Siegfried recalled with eyes closed. "When the Vatican went public with the exorcist program, it was theorized that the reports of professional exorcists' losses could cause a crippling loss of morale, mostly to the recruits. Consequently, expert and veteran exorcist casualties are reported as either _MIA_ or _WIA_ , in order to maintain the illusion that the strongest exorcists do not die."

"Exorcists never die?" He whispered. Danhauser swiveled out of his spot and leaned back on the trunk of a nearby tree. "… If only that were true."

Losing notable figures such as Dulio Gesualdo, Vasco Strada, and even Jeanne could also provoke this.

"But if the higher-ups listed you as _MIA_ or _WIA_ then that means that they presume that you're technically dead," Tobio realized. "… Since, you know, they have to hide any indication of your apparent 'death' from the newbies."

"While the rest believes that you're still alive," Danhauser added, clicking his tongue. "But because that's what the church is telling them, not because they'd decided to search for any evidence of your status. All in all, you're unofficially alive."

Tobio groaned out to the skies. "Holy crap, this is getting _so_ confusing…" He moaned out, rubbing his face. "I feel like my head is about to blow up…"

Jin whimpered in agreement.

"Stop whining, Tobio." Danhauser chided lightly. He focused on Siegfried once more. "This is a different case, you just became a devil. You never died doing your labor as an exorcist. If they find out that you're still alive, it could cause us much trouble, something that I'm trying to avoid for our sake."

What Danhauser has in mind is that the higher-ups either will immediately refuse any relationship they had with the silver-haired boy to the point of burning his papers to hide any proof or build a propaganda to convince the followers of God that Siegfried was 'seduced' by the devil and became a heretic.

Suddenly a burst of wind shook the nearby trees. Looking up at the sound of a powerful roar, they spotted a gargantuan figure slowly descending by flapping his mighty wings.

"Bova." Danhauser greeted as the dragon landed on the ground. He caught sight of someone smaller attached on his back. "Valerie."

"Heh! Bosshauser," Bova Tannin showed off his set of sharp teeth, waiting for the Dhampir to leave his back. Meanwhile, he inspected each one of them. "Huh, we're late it seems. Oh well." He noted, not sounding remorseful.

Valerie Tepes finally hopped out from the rook's back. She glared daggers at him while dusting her dress. "Maybe if _someone_ wasn't trying to show off with his redundant acrobatics we would be just in time."

"We dragons love hovering above the clouds and the feel of air caressing our scales," Bova retorted. "I'm not expecting a Dhampir to understand my kin's enjoyments."

The light-blonde hybrid rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes. Your head is just another cloudless day."

"Come on, don't pick a fight now…" Danhauser pinched his nose. "… Seriously, I'd just stopped a second ago."

The dragon curiously tilted his head. "Huh? What did we miss now?"

Tobio took a step forward and answered. "Boss doesn't want Sieg to drop in for a talk with the people he grew up and worked with," he responded, shoulders slumping. "… He's also prohibiting me to use my balance breaker in the meantime."

"You make it sound like I'm the villain here," Danhauser mumbled.

Bova roamed his cold gaze over the quiet silver-haired boy. "You're seriously still holding feelings for them?" he said disapprovingly. "How can someone be so dense? They're not people you can trust anymore, exorcist. They're just there to put Bosshauser's family in trouble."

"Stop calling me an exorcist, Bova!" snapped Siegfried with his fists balled. "And what's with you implying that? They wouldn't put anyone in danger!"

"Tell your bull not to shit on my lawn," Bova growled out. "I don't care what you see in them. Just drop it already, they're no longer your allies, friends or whatever you see in them. You better get ready when the time comes because I bet that they'll kill you right on the spot if they lock eyes with you."

Tobio stared with half-lidded eyes. "… Okay, I get it that dragons are all blunt and stuff, but holy crap, you take the whole cake." he wasn't done. "Not only do you take the cake, but you take the pieces that are stuck on the platter as well as the icing."

"But is he wrong?" Valerie shot back with a frown. "Bova made it sound harsh, but he's not inaccurate." Her eyes wandered over the quiet, former exorcist. "… You're not adapting, Siegfried. Adaptability is the key to survival. I'm impressed with how you made it this far… certainly, you'll have an interesting death one day… Ehehehe…"

After firing a disgusted glare at the only pawn, Tobio shook his head. "You guys do _love_ pointing out the bad things rather than the good ones, eh?"

Danhauser's eyes narrowed. "I can't speak for everyone here, but I'm not here to blow smoke from anyone's ass." He stated dryly. "I'm doing anything that is possible in my grasp to keep us away from the politics. Besides, I have memories when we talked about this the moment you'd joined my Peerage, Siegfried."

At the end of the day, the final decision is his. He can collaborate and get multiple opinions but the ultimate decision falls on him. This is a lot of pressure for some. Because at the end of the day if he's right fifty percent of the time he's doing well. That's just one of the few flaws of being a leader.

He can't be scared to fail.

"… As vulgar as Danhauser made his quote sound from the beginning, he's quite right." Valerie agreed, toying with her pigtail. "Telling someone everything they want to hear and nothing they need to hear? As if that wouldn't inflate someone's ego."

Siegfried raised his hands in frustration and defeat. "Fine, I'll back away since this is a futile battle. I still don't agree with it, but whatever." The proud German, however, glared at the dragon. "Just to make things clear, I'm the descendant of a strong hero and in my veins, I hold the blood of the fatherland. I cannot be slain so easily as you'd implied."

Bova stared back. "Draw your swords."

Siegfried frowned. "What?"

"Your weapons. Draw them."

"Guys…" Slash Dog called out carefully, trying to intervene. "Come on, let's not get crazy over here…"

"Let them be," Danhauser ordered calmly. "There's no point in getting in the middle anymore. I'll stop them if they overdo it."

The former exorcist's frown deepened. "I can't grasp your way of thinking," Siegfried admitted. "Why do you want to fight me all of a sudden?"

"Aren't you a swordsman related to a famous dragon slayer?" The rook recalled, annoyed. "Your goal is to be the strongest swordsman, right? How are you going to be one if you can't face me?"

"I won't fight you unless you're holding a sword," Siegfried responded. "Besides, being the descendant of Siegfried has nothing to do with my ambitions."

"I'll use my horns then."

"I don't have anything to prove at you, Bova." Siegfried dismissed. "Put it at rest already."

"Huh, you do have a spine after all," the dragon grunted. "A shame you rarely use it."

Danhauser suddenly clapped, ensnaring everyone's attention. "I'd called everyone here for a meeting, so let's begin." Leaving no room for argument, he continued. "I know that the Utsusemi has appeared on the scene once again, but even so, I believe that we can deliver flyers around Kuoh Town without getting in trouble."

"As long as it isn't one of the exorcists patrolling Kuoh Town, then I don't see any issue whatsoever," Valerie hummed and eyed their surroundings warily. "This is out of context, but why organize a meeting in the middle of the forest…? Have you forgotten about the stray devil lurking around?"

"Don't worry about the stray devil. Unless they have a death wish, they'll stay away from us," the gray-haired king boasted. "We're strong enough to handle a single foe."

Bova cracked his knuckles, grinning goofily. "Heh! They better make a move on us!" He chuckled excitedly. "Heard that this is not your typical stray devil, they're ranked as an SS criminal. Those can pack quite the punch!"

"Let's not get off track." Danhauser cleared his throat. "You guys are going to make contracts while I pay Azazel a visit to Ryuukou Town to study Canis Lykaon." He spared a quick glance over his pawn. "You have a flyer for Gasper, right? Call him out. We'll also make sure he has a stable control over his Sacred Gear."

"As you wish, Danhauser. I'll get into it once this meeting is over."

"Thank you," he brought a hand to his hip, eyeing one after another. "Any questions?"

Tobio raised his hand. "I actually have one," he announced. "Don't you need me there to solve the issues with my Sacred Gear?"

"Not really," the pure devil replied, gesturing at the small puppy. "Since your Sacred Gear is categorized as Avatar-type, Jin tagging along would be more than enough."

Jin quickly made its way to Danhauser, tail wagging happily as it looked up at him.

The heir softly patted Jin's head. "Just keep your guard up until then, Tobio," Danhauser advised. "Anything else?"

"I won't be participating in this," Bova declared, pausing. "Actually, I will, but in a few hours. You know why."

The gray-haired boy curved an eyebrow questioningly. His eyes suddenly widened in realization. "You're going to practice with your flames, aren't you?"

"Heh! You got that right!" The dragon fist-pumped the air. "I have to see it with my own eyes!"

"… It would be delightful if any of you two could share your conversation with us," Valerie said, mildly irked. "It's becoming irritating to be left off in the dark most of the time."

"Devils hold great pride over their demonic powers and clan traits. Angels and Fallen Angels because of their multiples wings and light-based powers." Bova looked at her from head to toe. "…I guess the Vampires because of their weird insectoid bodies and shadows." He suddenly smirked and pointed at himself with a sharp claw. "We, Dragons, are prideful of our breaths!"

Valerie stared flatly. "Danhauser, could you shed some light as to what he's talking about?"

"Thanks to his father's genes, Bova's fire breath is as powerful as a meteor strike," Danhauser explained. "However, since he's still a young dragon, his breath could evolve into something else and more threatening. The process depends on either the dragon reaching full adulthood, facing certain types of weather or even staying in a location for months, like a dessert."

The Prison Dragon Vritra was a perfect example of this. Because of his control over Black Magic, his Fire Breath fused with his Dark Arts, his infamous black flames came into the picture, capable of cursing the soul or spirit.

Or even Tannin, which has the intensity of a meteor's impact.

It was a process that dragons faced in their teenage days. It reminded Danhauser of one of the most famous Pokémon in the franchise: Eevee and its many evolutions.

"Ah, so adaptability?" Valerie smiled satisfactorily. "Of course, everything makes sense now. Dragons are infamously known because of their versatility in different situations. They are incarnations of power itself."

"Another reason why they're feared between the many pantheons," Siegfried muttered with arms folded. "You have to be mentally insane to clash with any of them."

"Your ancestor did." Tobio shot back.

Siegfried chuckled pridefully. "I never said he was sane, did I?"

"Fire attacks aren't the only thing we can manipulate," Bova smirked. "The youngest member of my old man's peerage loves flying in the middle of thunderstorms, one day he got struck by one." He tried to imitate the sound of lightning, failing miserably. "The bastard survived alright, but weeks later his scales changed color and he could spit lightning bolts faster than shit through a goose. He became a dragon of thunder."

Or like Apophis with his Primordial Water capable of hurting even the gods, even Albion with his venom suited to dividing the existence of living beings.

Plus, depending on the dragon's breath that's how they acquired their epithet, most of them either way, another point why Bova is excited.

 _"Issei is another great example… he'll eventually become a dragon of breasts,"_ he cringed at the thought. _"Damn… it must be embarrassing losing against one of his oppai beams. Not gonna happen to me, though."_ He finally met the dragon's impatient gaze. "Alright, you can go and tweak your breath, but only for a few hours! Later I want you to make contracts."

"Good thing I gave my old man a few flyers to summon me," he gave a thumbs up afterward. "Deal."

Releasing a sigh, Danhauser addressed everyone. "Now, if anyone doesn't have any more questions…" he drawled. Satisfied, he nodded. "Good. Let's get to work, then."

* * *

He trailed his focus at the black-framed wall clock for the ninth time this hour. He took his gaze off the clock, silently vowing to not look at it once more until necessary and just tapped his foot for the sake of distraction and kill boredom.

It was like sitting in a waiting room of an ambulance to wait for the results of someone's health condition. While Danhauser Belial was calmed, Valerie Tepes wasn't. Of course, she hid it very well with her blank mask, but her dark, red pupils were only locked on her childhood friend in worry.

He wondered what Valerie would do if Danhauser wasn't keeping her company.

Gasper Vladi, unfortunately, failed terribly on cooling down. He just looked at the fallen angel with wide, shaky eyes. His body trembling uncontrollably like a chihuahua on a snowy day. Danhauser made sure to use a limb of resin and wrap it with Worthlessness, just by grabbing the dhampir would be more than enough to keep his sacred gear from, momentarily, freezing time.

He could take a few notes from Jin's book, the dog was as bright as the sun.

"Alright, all checked," Azazel commented, waving Danhauser to move closer without looking at his direction. "Get moving brat, the faster we do this, the better."

"My turn, I guess." Danhauser sighed as he slowly stood up and sat beside Gasper. He rolled his sleeve and showed his wrist. "I'm ready."

"We have to disinfect the area before jumping to the fun part." Pulling some cotton mixed with alcohol from his briefcase, Azazel briefly passed it through the devil's wrist. Taking a firm hold, he pulled an empty syringe. "Get ready, this is going to sting a little." He warned and hastily pierced his skin.

Danhauser hissed slightly, but slowly relaxed whilst watching his blood being sucked in a thin stream.

"Feel anything?" Azazel asked, not looking away from his wrist.

"Step by step, really?" Danhauser grunted softly. "Sounds like I'm visiting a dentist rather than a doctor… they just love boring their patients to death."

"Hey, hey, watch it." Azazel playfully cautioned, pulling the filled syringe out of his skin. "Remember, I'm a walking fossil now, and these hands are meant for inventing sacred gears and jerking off. Could slip, you know?"

Danhauser stared flatly. "Please, tell me you washed your hands first before touching us."

"That would be enough brat." Azazel ignored the question, shaking the vial close to his face. "Go back with your girlfriend, she looks lonely."

Casting a brief glare at the fallen angel, Danhauser covered his injection point with cotton and joined Valerie in the background.

To his surprise and amusement, coming from his right, the sound of sniffing comforted his ears. He carefully peeked through the corner of his eyes and held back a chuckle.

A scene worthy of a thousand pictures. Sitting through the edge of her seat was Valerie with her eyes closed and a faint smile. Her nostrils constantly stretching and narrowing for each swift sniff she stole, letting her nose guide her to the scent.

"My blood smells _that_ good?" The question stopped the girl from further actions.

Slowly popping a single eye open she met Danhauser's wiggling eyebrow. She folded her arms and looked away with a small scowl. "… I would lie to myself if I said that your blood didn't catch my attention." She retorted defensively. "… It has been so long since I caught a whiff of rich blood. Usually, I satisfy my hunger by drinking the blood of animals across the Belial Territory."

"I remember that." Danhauser nodded at the reminder. "I also remember that I told you to drink from my blood instead. Why haven't you asked me yet?"

Before the girl could respond, an object quickly flew in their direction, the pure devil grabbed it with ease. "That's the bracelet I'll use with the crossdresser." They heard the voice of Azazel as both simultaneously inspected each part of the bracelet. "It's a prototype, but it'll do the charm thanks to your blood."

"With this, he would get a better hold of his Sacred Gear…" Danhauser mused, finger flicking the small tubes carrying his blood.

He knew that this was the same item that Azazel lent to Issei Hyoudou to temporally achieve Balance Breaker for his upcoming fight against his rival, Vali Lucifer, and for Gasper.

Danhauser glanced over his shoulder, almost bumping heads with Valerie. "So? What do you think?" He shook the bracelet in his grasp. "Convincing enough for you?"

The girl's red eyes stayed on his. "What do _you_ think." She whispered back. "Is this reliable enough?"

"This is Azazel, a professional in creating Sacred Gears," Danhauser replied, ignoring the cocky grin of the fallen angel. "Gasper is in safe hands."

She never hesitated. She right away nodded at his words. "Okay, I put my faith in you."

Giving a reassuring smile, Danhauser easily flung the bracelet back to its creator. Azazel got to work right away. "Thanks for lending a hand, Azazel."

"Yeah, no worries." the leader of Grigori waved off his gratitude. He looked at the cross-dressing dhampir dead in the eye. "Do not drink the blood in one single sip." He ordered. "I get it's difficult for your race to control their thirst when the dish is between your eyes. But the point is that the blood within the bracelet should last at most a week, savvy?"

"Y-Yes!" He stuttered, looking anywhere but him.

With a lazy gesture, he let Gasper rush back to Valerie. He sighed and leaned back on the table, patting Jin's head. "Now, let's talk about this little guy. Back then, I told you that Canis Lykaon was a rare case amongst the other Sacred Gears, this one is a combination of other mythologies, Japanese and Greek respectively."

The youngsters tied their mouths, eyes jumping from Jin to Azazel multiple times.

The Governor-General continued seriously. "Canis Lykaon is made up of three components." He lifted three fingers. "The extinct Youkai that controls shadows, the Inugami. The blade that can kill gods, Ame-no-Ohabari and…"

"And…?"

The fallen angel withdrew a sigh, massaging the bridge of his nose. "… and the lycanthropy and consciousness of Lycaon, the First Werewolf."

"… Oh fuck," Danhauser imitated Azazel's movements. "It was going fine until you mentioned that one."

Valerie tilted her head in thought. "I may have a slight distrust for werewolves in general but…" she admitted, fumbling with her light blonde hair in one finger. "Is that really a bad thing? Wouldn't that be beneficial for you and Tobio?"

"I don't mind Tobio turning into a furry," Danhauser commented idly. "… What's making me shit my pants is that Lycaon's consciousness is still active… Seriously, I don't know what came to His mind when He sealed Lycaon in a Sacred Gear."

"Who? God of the Bible?" Azazel ignored their groans of pain. He scratched his goatee, hesitating. "… Yeah, well, what happened was that He confused Inugami with Lycaon..."

Danhauser stared for a while. "Bullshit." he bluntly attacked. "They're from different mythologies, how can He confuse both? Plus wasn't He supposed to know it all?"

"Alright, first of all, that's something that humanity wrote in the bible to make Him look flawless." The fallen angel countered. "Second… Satanael shares the same thoughts as you. Satanael doesn't believe He confused both mythologies."

"… So, He grabbed Lycaon, the god-slaying blade and the Inugami purposely?" Danhauser voiced out his thoughts.

"Again that's what Satanael believes." Azazel repeated, shrugging. "… But the guy is well known for his immense hatred toward Him. He could just make that up to antagonize Him."

"… How He'd never got issues with other pantheons?"

The Governor folded his arms. "Dunno. He's someone who kept everything to Himself, heck, He even kept His most loyal Angel, Michael, in the dark," he responded iffy. "… So, it's impossible for me to understand how He dodged bullets so many times."

"Maybe He'd negotiated with them?" Valerie suggested, caressing Gasper's hair as a mother would. "From what I know is that the Nemean Lion was a dangerous creature back in his days… and from what I learned today, Lycaon is also a deadly figure, too."

"Why would other gods allow Him to create artifacts to kill the gods themselves?" Danhauser muttered to himself. "Doesn't make any sense."

The dhampir just shrugged.

"Lycaon wasn't someone troubling to a supernatural creature," Azazel replied. "He was the former first King of Arcadia notorious for his horrific deeds." He suddenly scowled. "… However, now that he has lycanthropy, power over shadows and is capable of slaying gods, he made himself a threatening character."

At last, Danhauser asked. "Anything we can do to counter this?"

Azazel looked up, pondering for a full minute. "… I do have an idea. Remember the school established by Grigori?"

"Nephilim?" The heir replied instantly. "The one that had Satanael as the headmaster?"

"The one and only." Azazel nodded. "It's getting a remodel after Satanael's sudden betrayal alongside his students. If you want, you can sign up Ikuse to partake and have a better grasp of his Sacred Gear." He paused. "It'll take some time to enroll him, though."

"Sign him in." Danhauser never thought twice. "It won't bring you trouble if a reincarnated devil is walking around Grigori's headquarters, right?"

"Yes and no, don't worry about that though." the fallen angel waved off his worries. "Vali's a half devil and descendant of Lucifer, having a pseudo-devil won't harm anyone…" He shifted his gaze over the quiets dhampirs. "It would be good if you two joined but having too many devils would make a hassle around Grigori."

"Nonetheless, we wouldn't accept." Valerie firmly responded. "We appreciate your gesture."

Azazel shrugged and pulled from his pocket a few letters. "Before you go, she told me to give your team this."

Danhauser raised an eyebrow and slowly grabbed the bent papers. "Who is she?" He asked after spotting his name alongside his Peerage's written in different letters.

The Governor-General flashed a wink, followed by a thumbs up. "The heiress of the Himejima Clan and Ikuse's second cousin, Suzaku Himejima."

* * *

"So that's what the letter says?" Valerie Tepes idly said, not taking her eyes off the road. "It took her months to finally show her gratitude for saving the Five Clans?"

Danhauser Belial shot her a deadpan stare. "Don't be so cold," he pocketed the letter and resumed their walking. "Azazel told us why it took her so long. She was learning English plus the members of the Himejima Clan doesn't want her to make a link with us."

Jin barked in agreement!

"It's just common courtesy."

"You may see it as common courtesy, Valerie." Danhauser drawled. "But it is not so common anymore."

"It's a nice gesture." The second blonde clasped her hands. "Something impressive you had done in the past peeked her interest!"

When they had left Ryuukou Town, Danhauser had made sure to take off Gasper Vladi's bracelet and sent him back to the Gremory Territory, the dhampir couldn't go around with an object made by Grigori's highest technology around his wrist, they would get suspicious. Thankfully, Valerie had convinced her childhood friend to keep this meeting a secret.

After that, Danhauser with Valerie and Jin went on the lookout to Kuoh Town while his other servants, except for Bova Tannin who was summoned by his father, were making contracts across the town. At this hour of the day, he would always reunite with Jeanne and start watching any suspicious corner of the town.

Danhauser didn't mind if Valerie and Jeanne met one another since the dhampir isn't the type to go around and build friendships. Her Sacred Gear, however, must still be kept under the wraps, especially to the people involved with the church.

"Saint Jeanne," Valerie called out. "May I have a word?"

"Call me Jeanne!" The human girl exclaimed gleefully, hastily shifting to her side while hugging Jin close to her chest. "And yes, don't be shy!"

The pawn frowned at the closeness but continued regardless. "… Right, forgive the impertinence, but you are not like the exorcists I heard of back in my place."

Jeanne tilted her head to the side. "… Um, what did they tell you about us?"

"They discriminate anything that stands against the teachings of Him or those that are Devils, Fallen Angels, and Vampires," Valerie responded. "... Either you're wearing a mask and scheming something on our backs or..."

Jeanne shook her head. "None of that," she swore and quoted. "Love your neighbor as yourself... I would lie if I'd say that back in my younger days, I'd never hated a single Devil or Fallen Angel, I really despised them… but someone changed my mind long ago. Sure, there are stern believers in Christianity and the old teachings of the Church that they regard Devils as evil existences which must be eradicated at all cost. Just as there's your typical devil who's wicked and brutal."

"Are you implying that there are nice devils out there?"

"Oui, oui. Of course!" Jeanne nodded eagerly before smiling at the Devil with glee. "You're a good example."

Danhauser flushed. "Again, with this?"

"I know you're not _so_ kind," the saint retorted, nuzzling Jin with her cheek. "You're just watching this town because of your cousin… not because of the citizens... I can understand your viewpoint, who wouldn't do the same thing for their family?"

"Me." came the bland response of Valerie as they rounded the next corner.

Jeanne wore a troubled expression. "… I'm sorry for intruding but are you perhaps a half human half something?"

Surprise flashed in Valerie's red eyes as she turned and regarded the human walking next to her. "Hm. You're more perceptive than I gave you credit for," Valerie said, a hand to her cheek. "… Interesting, but indeed. I am a hybrid."

"Then I guess you ran from your Clan or you were exiled." Jeanne theorized to herself before meeting her eyes. "I trust that you're in safe hands now."

Valerie's lips twitched, whether it was going to curl up into a smile or curve downward into a frown, no one other than she knew, as she aimed her gaze at the pure devil. "… Yes, I agree."

Danhauser couldn't contain the pleasure splitting on his face, unfortunately, it fell instantly after glancing up at the sound of genuine laughter.

The sight made him stop. His actions had affected the two beauties at his side. "Danhauser?" Valerie shook his shoulder in concern and followed his fixated stare. "What made you stop…"

…

…

…

"Cleria?"

"Masaomi?"

Danhauser and Jeanne called out their names in unison.

The two adults paused and turn their heads around, their eyes widening afterward.

"Danny…?" She properly faced her cousin. Her gray eyes constantly jumping from him to the saint. "What's happening?"

"…" He never replied. His eyes settled on Cleria Belial's date. His mouth pursed but slightly open and loose.

"Saint Jeanne…" Masaomi Yaegaki whispered in surprise.

Cleria's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Wait. You know her?"

The black-haired man paled.

"What are you doing with her?" Jeanne took a step forward. "I told your superior to stay away from her!"

"I... I wasn't informed. I..."

"What...?" Jeanne gasped, eyes wide. "I-I ordered him not to..."

"A deal." A pulse of demonic power left from his body, enough to alarm any supernatural creature."... We had a deal, Jeanne." Danhauser gritted his teeth, white knuckles from clenching his fist too hard. "... We _had_ a _deal_. What's the meaning of this?"

The blonde missed a heartbeat. "I-it's not what it seems, Dan!" she stuttered desperately, accidentally freeing Jin from her hug. "I'd spoken personally with Touji to order his colleagues to stay away from your cousin! P-please you have to trust me!"

 _"They're going to kill Cleria."_

"…" Valerie quietly stayed behind with Jin, watching the back of her King intently with mixed emotions. Sometimes glaring daggers at the saint.

 _"They're going to kill Cleria."_

"A deal?" Masaomi repeated, sweating a little. "What is he talking about, Saint Jeanne? Touji hasn't told me anything yet. He just told me to keep spying on Claire!" Realizing what he just said, the exorcist brought a hand to his mouth. Cursing, he turned bit by bit at the headmistress of Kuoh Academy. He winced at the sight. "... Shit, Claire, I'm—!

 _"She's going to die."_

"So, that's it?" Cleria interrupted, chuckling bitterly. "...You-you were just spying me this whole time? Our relationship was just a... disguise?"

 _"Murdered."_

He reached out for her, but Cleria quickly slapped his hand away. He hissed in pain. "T-That's not true! Claire, it's too much stuff to explain, let's go somewhere and I'll explain everything you need to know, I swear on my life!"

 _"…"_

"I—!" Her mouth froze when she felt a dense flow of demonic energy intensify around them. Gulping, she shakily turned at the well of power. "D-Danny...?"

"You… You worthless trash!" Ruled by wrath, Danhauser's anger-filled shout made everyone flinch. "You dare to touch Cleria with your disgusting hands?!"

"D-Danny! Calm—!"

"The woman that I—! That my family and I together—! The woman that we love dearly!" Demonic circles arose behind him. "Everything we've done, everything we'll do today, everything we'll ever do to protect her ruined by the likes of you! You try and date my cousin will only get her sentenced to death! You piece of shit!"

"Saint Jeanne!" No one knew from where they came, but an old figure wielding a western, crimson sword and a silver-haired brat carrying dual pistols quickly joined the picture. They took threatening stances and focused on Danhauser. "Freed, take aim! Yaegaki, get behind me!"

Masaomi tried to speak but was quickly silenced by Freed Sellzen's maniac laugh. "Finally!" He squirmed, fingers caressing the triggers. "Hip hip hooray! 'bout time we blow up some shitty devil ass!"

"… You don't want to do this," Danhauser warned, Jin quickly invoking a blade from its temple, resembling a horn. "Lower your weapons."

He made sure to stand in front of Cleria, shielding her.

For an odd reason, half of his consciousness begged him to punch the living shit of Masaomi.

But he held back.

"David? Freed?" Jeanne shook her head and stood between them, arms outstretched. "Stop! Listen to him! Put Galatine down, David!"

David Serro ignored her orders. "Saint Jeanne stay away, he's dangerous!"

"No!"

Before Valerie could call upon her shadows, the sounds of footsteps made her look behind. Her discovery made her sigh with relief. "Reinforcements are here. Good."

Thanks to the knight piece, Ikuse Tobio, and Siegfried promptly joined Valerie, the former exorcist with his Twice Critical and three light swords in each hand.

"We felt the demonic power!" Slash Dog shouted and caught Jin, who molded into a sword, in midair. "What happened?!"

"She did not fulfill her part of the bargain," she coldly stated, nodding at the saint. "That's what happened."

"…Freed," Siegfried gasped, his grip over his swords weakening. "David…"

David's eyes widened slightly. "… Impossible."

"Huh?!" Freed lowered his gun in surprise. "The hell?! You were in Japan this whole time?!" He quickly brought up his pistol, aiming at him. "And you became a shitty devil, too! You fucking traitor!"

Siegfried took a step forward. "Freed, let me—!" His mouth froze as a bullet fired into the sky. He stared, dumbfounded. "W-what?"

"Save that shit for someone who gives a damn." Freed blew the smoke out of his weapon. "Sieg died long ago."

…

…

…

"Freed!" Jeanne snapped. "What the hell is wrong with—!"

"… That dragon and master were right in the end." A distant look ruined his expression. His grip over his weapons tightened. "Fine then. You asked for it."

Jeanne's knees weakened. "… This-this shouldn't be happening…!" She croaked out weakly. "Everyone… _please_ , I beg you…lower your weapons."

No one listened to her plea.

Tobio's light gray eyes continued hopping from figure to figure, resting over his King. "… What now?" He timidly inquired, even if he knew the answer.

"We wait for them to make the first move," Valerie crankily replied, shadows dancing around her. "Then strike back."

Tobio gritted his teeth, stomping the floor angrily. "Don't fu—!" He couldn't contain his words. "Don't fuck with me! I wanted to avoid this, I really did!"

"Not only you, Tobio," Siegfried said, eyes locked with Freed. "Everyone did."

"Speak for yourself, traitor!" Freed barked out. "I was getting fucking bored already!"

"…" Danhauser was in his own world, summoning his Senjutsu in his hand. His eyes flashed in horror as his ki constantly blinked from the peaceful bluish-white color to a dark crimson one. Catching on, he immediately closed his eyes and took quiet breaths.

 _"I almost got corrupted by Senjutsu. Dodged a bullet there."_ Once his ki was back to its base color, he vanished it and faced the group of exorcists, concentrating on the main issue. He anxiously clicked his tongue. _"… What should I do now?"_

* * *

As Cleria Belial watched with fear and worry at the scene unfolding before her, from the corner of her eyes, she spotted two distant figures observing atop the roof.

Time seemed to slow down from Cleria's perspective. A girl with a gothic lolita outfit and many ribbons adorning her hair, and a masked man with legs bent and a phone in his grasp, watching them intently.

He was filming them.

They'd noticed her if the playful wave coming from the male was any indication. The girl brought an arm up, summoning weird, purple fire molded like crosses and took aim. A look of hatred ruining her beautiful face.

She forcibly extinguished her flames when the man tossed the phone to her. She glared at her partner, growled and teleported away through magic.

Meanwhile, the well-built man, without looking away from Cleria, slowly stood up and snapped his fingers.

Cleria, in return, blinked many times. She was casting her eyes worriedly about as painless chaos reached her head, she suddenly doesn't know why she was looking at him. She only remembered Masaomi Yaegaki's identity.

As if someone cut her memories.

Unfortunately, her train of thoughts cut short when the figure landed roughly in the middle, ceasing abruptly the argument.

* * *

"Mah, mah. What do we have here…?" the man slowly stirred up. "Is this a party? Because it's looking sick so far! Hope this old man made it right on time!"

The man instantly unsheathed his weapon from his back and easily intercepted the projectiles. He looked over his shoulder, annoyed. "Hey now, attacking from the back? Don't be a coward."

The mysterious villain suddenly locked blades with David Serro, demonic and holy energy twirling around. "Hoh? A holy sword user, eh?" He grinned and jumped out of the way just in time to dodge limbs of resin and strings of shadows. "I knew it was worth to keep this beauty in my armory!"

"That's a demonic sword." David eyed the weapon cautiously, keeping Galatine close to his chest. "… By its appearance, that's the weapon of Lancelot du Lac. Arondight."

 _"…Arondight?"_ Danhauser Belial inwardly parroted, observing absentmindedly, Siegfried attempting to wound the new foe while Freed Sellzen offered support from a safe distance. His body paled in realization. _"Fuck me… then that means that's—!"_

"Satanael!" Ikuse Tobio literally teleported in front of the fallen angel, he angrily swung Canis Lykaon and watched the man nonchalantly dodge aside. "Ryuukou students!" He lunged once again, only to get parried by the demonic weapon. "Give them back!"

The Fallen Angel bellowed a laugh and grabbed Slash Dog's wrist. He threw him at Siegfried's direction, chuckling as they fall like dominoes' pieces. "What are you saying, you brat?! I'm _not_ Satanael!" He playfully denied and quickly invoked a barrier to block David and Jeanne's simultaneous attacks and then swing his sword in an arc, barely missing both of them.

Danhauser shook Cleria's shoulder, startling her. "Go somewhere safe." He ordered desperately. "And call someone from the Belial Territory to lend us a hand, we'll do our best to hold Satanael for so long!"

This was a Satan-Class. Not even Gilles de Rais could defeat him. Diehauser Belial or Calcabrina Belial were the ones that could beat him to a pulp.

Cleria was ready to argue, but a harsh glare made her mouth pursed. She quickly hugged him. "Don't you _dare_ to die!" She warned and ran away, a magic circle close to her ear.

"Report back to Touji, Yaegaki." Danhauser heard this David guy shout. "You're weaponless."

The footsteps were obviously of Masaomi Yaegaki retreating.

With a shaky sigh, Danhauser clashed stares with Valerie Tepes. They nodded mutually and fired their spells at the Fallen Angel.

* * *

"You're crushing me…!" Ikuse Tobio felt how Siegfried pushed him aside.

Shakily standing up, Tobio took a deep breath and watched Satanael hiding behind one of his strong magical barriers. Impeding Danhauser Belial's Gate of Babylon and Valerie Tepes' shadows to pierce the tough shield.

Satanael cocked his head back and laughed. "Is that all you—shit!" He cursed as his defenses were breached by Worthlessness. That fatal mistake was enough for David Serro to appear and go for the kill.

But the Fallen Angel showed superiority. He caught the sword between his fingers. "That was a close one!" Satanael kicked the chest of the exorcist and pushed him away, quickly slashing his sword to meet Jeanne's holy one. Even with the mask, it was easy to picture his grin.

As the fallen angel went for the blow, a shadow sprouted under them and yanked down his wrist, ruining his stance. The cadre grunted as a fist of resin crashed into his stomach, but to their surprise, he let out soft, maniacal laughter afterward.

"Is that it?" He looked up to Jeanne's eye. "Then you're good as dead!"

Satanael pulled her closer and threw his knee over the saint's gut, watching her keeled over by his immense strength.

"Jeanne!"

He tossed the blonde away as a bullet almost took half his ear and Danhauser went for a thrust with his spear.

"A demonic sword won't do with you!" Satanael grabbed the holy katana from his back and swung it down at the pure devil.

Danhuaser's expression showed brief shock but quickly hardened as he fought back, surprisingly following the steps of the Utsusemi leader. Either he dodged or rolled away the attacks before exchanging blows. Whenever Freed fired his gun at Satanael it made him wince, obviously worried that Freed would 'accidentally' aim at Danhauser's back.

"Why didn't he finish her off?" Tobio asked to himself, eyes settled on the saint as she rolled across the grass, soon rescued by her bodyguard, David. "Neither he's using his light powers. I mean, he's a fallen angel, right?"

"He's toying with us," Siegfried coughed out, slowly standing up. "That's what I presume, either way."

Slash Dog pondered for a while. "… Or he's not here to kill us?"

The fellow knight frowned. "That doesn't make any sense."

"If you two are done talking about tomorrow's weather…!" Valerie Tepes said from afar, using her shadows to slow down the fallen angel. "Danhauser urgently needs the help of his peerage!"

"Right!" Siegfried was the first one to react, becoming a blur as he joined in the frail.

The one who hadn't moved yet was Tobio along with Jin, keeping an eye at the unfair duel with a distant look.

Even by getting surrounded by different parties. Satanael stood his ground and countered anyone's attack, showing his mastery as a swordsman. He just fooled death whenever anyone from the team launched a threatening strike.

…

…

…

Sometimes he wondered, why of all people he had to be involved in this?

"I just wanted a normal life." He dug his fingers on the dirt and closed his eyes. "An ordinary life… Just to keep living with Sae and everyone, the students of that high school…! Why would you assholes ruin that…? For what…myself, Sae, and even Jin here…!"

It's all gone. And he knew it.

"Tobio!" Valerie called out strongly. "Snap out of it already!"

He could no longer dream for an ordinary life.

Neither could he push the blame to Danhauser, since his birth he was cursed by carrying the blood of the Himejima Clan and housing a threatening Longinus. His king saved his ass and his childhood friend, Sae Toujou, too.

"Tobio!"

A part of him was curious about what would happen if Danhauser never appeared in the script. Would he be an Utsusemi? Azazel would take him under his wing? Or perhaps die on the battlefield?

His hair shadowed his eyes. There was a burning feeling there, the one that made his blood boil, to see that bastard still moving around so easily, not a single scream of pain. He wanted the Utsusemi leader to pay for his sins. The emotion drowned him with power.

He wouldn't know how he would react if Sae was brainwashed by the cadre. For him who had lost his entire family, she was the only person important to him. The one he most wished to protect.

It drowned him with anger and desire. It sure as hell lifted his fighting spirit up.

"This is a world that would kill an ordinary person," Tobio's eyes shot open, now a deep red. "I can't think like that! To face the supernatural, I have to stop myself from being ordinary!"

Jin barked encouragingly!

"I'm so sorry, boss." He dropped to his knees, steeling himself. "I know you told me not to use it, but I can't hold back against the bastard who kidnapped half of my classmates. Just kick my ass later on, okay?"

Obviously, he never expected an answer.

This one goes to Ryuukou High School.

At last, Tobio took a deep breath.

And sang—

[I sing for the slaying of a thousand humans!]

* * *

Danhauser Belial felt a chill down his spine. The atmosphere changed marginally as if time stopped briefly before resuming once again.

Ikuse Tobio's voice could be heard letting out such words.

[I celebrate the slaying of ten thousand goblins!]

"Tobio!" Danhauser shouted, glaring at his servant's direction. "I fucking told you not to—!"

"Focus on the fight, newbie!" Unfortunately, Satanael had approached Danhauser's mistake to land a side kick on his ribs, strong enough to send him flying.

"Master!" First, Danhauser had heard from his awkward flight Siegfried's scream, then the echo of sword clashing, and finally something shattering. "Shit!"

"What a shitty sword!" That was Satanael, taunting the silver-haired boy without remorse.

[The name submerged in total darkness, that of the imitation god that drifts through the polar night.]

 _"No!"_ After landing roughly, Danhauser quickly stood up and fired out multiple fists of resin at Tobio's way.

To Danhauser's chagrin and surprise, the fake limbs were immediately destroyed by the black haze surrounding the brunet's body, acting as his guardian angel.

[Thou will perish by mi **ne own black blade.]**

Tobio immediately rose from his kneeling position. Jin, who had been struggling to escape, was ensnared by black shadows spreading from its feet, slowly submerging it within the darkness.

The darkness clung and devoured Tobio's body. His form morphing step by step, no longer the shape of a human, he had become something bizarre that differed from a human.

The black haze was expelled outwards from the brunet in vast quantities, building his new appearance. Forelegs, hind legs, and six tails sprouted from his lower back, it opened its mouth that had become canine. Its fur colored in jet-black, a never-ending black.

 **[To be something absurd, the god, _creator_ of the deformed.]**

As Tobio finished his chant, the jet-black werewolf let lose a penetrating howl, shroud mists fleeing its mouth, spreading like a river across the ground.

Satanael just knew this would happen.

The devil saw Valerie Tepes walking just an inch backward away from the humanoid beast. Her eyes widened in fear as she noted the close gap between them.

"Get over here, Valerie!" Danhauser cried out.

The blonde broke from her trance and obeyed by flapping her wings.

Everyone halted the fight and looked around the scenery. That scenario had been repainted in black. It had become a world of trees and nearby buildings engulfed by blackness. Even the sky had been dyed black, wrapping the entire region in jet darkness. Thankfully, their night vision triggered instinctively.

The only sound in the entire battlefield is two creatures breathing, their flaring nostrils as they take in the scent of everyone.

Unfortunately, Tobio was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is he?!" Valerie looked around anxiously. "He was in front of us seconds ago!"

"I can still hear him!" Siegfried added after joining them. He fixated his eyes on Tobio's previous spot. "And he's close too! I can feel it!"

"Tobio and Jin are in front of us," Danhauser answered. "… They're staring upwards."

"How do you…?" Valerie trailed off after spotting the bluish-white aura encircling Danhauser's closed eyes. "…Senjutsu? But how can we not see them?"

Danhauser opened his eyes and scowled when he saw no signs of Tobio. "… I have no clue."

"Where's that fuckface?!" Freed Sellzen's voice came somewhere from the dark paradise. "I can't see shit! Did he puss out or something?"

"Language," David Serro scolded sharply. "… I can still sense his demonic sword and the holy one. Why isn't he attacking us?"

"Dan!" Jeanne called out from the darkness. "A-are you still there?!"

"Just keep running forward," Siegfried responded after locating them. "You're a few steps away from us."

The King snapped his fingers in realization. "… I think we can't see Tobio because of our night vision." He gestured at his eyes for emphasis. "… After all, Tobio is now made of darkness."

"That's a tremendous handicap," Valerie pointed out dryly as the exorcists joined them. "Then that means that Satanael also has a night vision of his own, correct?"

"Correct," Siegfried responded while glaring at the figure upwards. "… I found him. If I must guess, he's having a stare down with Tobio." He then frowned. "Interesting… why is he flying through magic and not his wings?"

"We can't see at all," Jeanne muttered. "We had to follow the sound of your voices to find each one of you. Luckily, David's Galatine offered enough light for us…"

"Wonderful…" They looked up as Satanael finally spoke with mirth. "The King of Wolves."

Hesitantly, Danhauser activated his Senjutsu vision in time to see the two beasts glaring up with their red eyes.

The werewolf growled offering a glimpse of its bared sharp fangs.

"Mah, mah. Such a threatening posture," Satanael chuckled fearlessly, floating in his surroundings were several magic circles which were facing at the two unfaced beasts. "… Wonder how strong you are in that form…"

 _"How can he seem them?"_

These magic circles possessing supernatural power, they moved freely through the battlefield as they fired at the black beasts.

From the mouth of the mad werewolf, something akin to a curse was being spat out. The spells Satanael has fired, they all were utterly vaporized by unknown means and to everyone's shock, it struck Satanael hard enough to smash him back to the ground.

He was struck by darkness, Danhauser theorized. After all, they couldn't see it.

While the cloud of smoke concealed his condition, the weak coughing was a good sign of his health condition. He walked out of the hole he'd left, at this exchange the cadre was anything but astonished, he was in awe. "… Don't place yourself on a pedestal." he wiggled his finger playfully. "I was lazy on making those magic circles."

The devils and exorcists kept looking between the fallen angel and the two beasts constantly. They were in the middle.

"Those from my Peerage, deactivate your night vision," Danhauser ordered. "Quick, I have a something in mind."

"Alright, but how?" Valerie asked.

"Just imagine you're taking out your glasses."

Siegfried was in doubt. "But wouldn't it make it difficult to see Satanael?"

"Just do it."

While his two active servants obeyed their King's command. He turned to the saint. "Jeanne, your Sacred Gear, it allows you to create countless swords of different attributes, right?"

"Right!" She nodded eagerly. "What you need me to do?"

"Forge as many swords as you can around the zone," he commanded. "Make sure that each one of them acts as glowing sticks."

The blonde's eyes widened in realization before smirking. "Leave it to me!" She declared and clasped both hands.

Her Sacred Gear answered her prayers, spamming holy swords all over the place, each one of them has one thing in common: They were glowing good enough to let them survey their surroundings easily.

"Holy shit…" Siegfried gasped when he noticed the werewolf. "… I-is that…?"

"Tobio," Danhauser finished with a grim expression. "Yes."

"Everyone." Valerie quietly called out, sweating a little. "… Look around."

Gulping a chunk of saliva, Danhauser followed her instructions.

An inexhaustible supply of warped blades sprouted from all over. From the sky, the ground, the trees, the various nearby buildings.

It was an abnormal world of blades. From throughout the blackened streets, every object had countless blades blooming from it. The sizes diverged, there were some which were straight, some were curves, even some that were zigzagged in shape.

All of them targeted the group.

Their voices had caught Tobio's and Jin's attention moments ago, they let out a low rumbling growl.

The holy saint breathed in. "Fuck."

From upstairs and beneath the numerous blades extended at them.

"Move!" David screamed, and everyone quickly reacted, resulting in all the swords impaling themselves on their former position.

Danhauser took initiative and raced after the two beasts at high speed closing the distance with Tobio and Jin, but the former also vanished in an instant, and without a sound, the battle began.

The heir and the werewolf were moving at a speed beyond Valerie's perception as they battled. "I'll handle Tobio and Jin!" Danhauser announced while dodging more of the wicked blades. "Cleria had called for reinforcements, it shouldn't take long now, be careful!"

"Great," Freed grunted in disdain. "More shitty devils and I'm getting low on ammo…!"

"Danhauser, wait!" Valerie called out, watching them disappear with Jin giving chase. "You dolt!"

They spun around when someone landed on the grass. "What a jerk." it was Satanael, who was holding his demonic and holy sword. "I called dibs on the Dog of Black. Oh well! I'll have to tag with all of you."

Before the Fallen Angel could open his mouth, the hero descendant instantly stood in front of him and attacked with all three swords.

Satanael easily blocked each swing in rapid succession. "Not bad—!" He stopped after sensing someone from behind. He jumped aside just in time to dodge a scar from Galatine. "Hey, come on—!" He hoisted Arondight to redirect the holy bullets. "This is getting—!" He destroyed the countless holy swords flowering around him. "You guys are annoying."

He spotted Siegfried rushing at him with his immense speed. He brought a defensive stance which was ruined by a trail of Valerie's shadows yanking his feet, awkwardly dropping him on a knee.

Unfortunately, it was too late for him to intercept Siegfried's swords. He had to use his hand as a meat shield.

"You fuck!" He roared and retaliate with a headbutt, the former exorcist was sent tumbling backward. He growled and pulled the weapon out of his palm. "… Should have aimed for the head!"

An army of magic circles molded on the ground and from them, countless Avatar Sacred Gears sprouted in combat mode.

"Utsusemi…" Valerie hissed out, eyeing the Sacred Gear prototypes.

Curiously enough, their owners, the students of Ryuukou Highschool, weren't present.

Jeanne's face darkened. "So, this is the man who kidnapped all these innocent people, this Satanael guy?" As she said that, numerous holy swords were born around them. "Guess you leave me no option, in the name of the Lord and Archangel Michael, I will kick your ass!"

"Language," David chided her, dual wielding with Galatine and one of Jeanne's forged blades.

"What's the point of hiding?" He tossed aside his mask, revealing his silver eyes. "Let's see how you handle the Utsusemi now." This time he took initiative and was followed by his machines.

* * *

Danhauser Belial racked his brain as he persistently evaded Ikuse Tobio's brutal attacks and Jin jumping out of nearby shadows like a shark.

Unlike Vali Lucifer, a fight against Slash Dog was from time to time struggling than the descendant of Lucifer. Not only was he fighting two beasts, but Tobio's Longinus allowed him to control the shadows and fight from far away. Vali's Sacred Gear focused only on dividing someone, it worked wonderfully for one on one brawls. Or rather, that's how Vali used Divine Dividing.

Plus, Tobio was still in there, somewhere. He was looking for the fastest way to defeat him without dealing so much damage.

Lucky him, his training with Diehauser Belial and Calcabrina Belial bored fruits. Confirmed by the fact that he could keep up against Tobio and Jin in their balance break state.

 _"Because of his evil piece, he has greater speed,"_ Danhauser noted as he fired his demonic power just to see it getting mauled over by warped blades coming from literally anywhere. _"… Does it work on Jin, too? Just how the pawns within Issei affected Boosted Gear to make Illegal Move Triania?"_

His doubts were answered when the large dog slashed his cheek with a sword between its jaws. It went for another strike, but Danhauser forced it to back away with Gate of Babylon.

 _"I'll take that as a yes."_ He winced in pain. _"Then that means I have a normal knight, a mutated knight, and a pseudo-knight. Neat."_

Summoning multiple demonic circles, he took aim at the approaching beasts and fired multiple fists of resin, followed by demonic spheres. To his surprise, the limbs passed through them and left no wound. It apparently just made the creatures angrier.

Curiously enough, they did dodge the barrage of projectiles thrown by his Gate of Babylon.

 _"While in Balance Breaker, his body becomes intangible, allowing physical attacks pass right through him. Fair enough."_ He clicked his tongue as he just built distance between them, annoying them further and further. _"Energy attacks apparently can deal some damage on them. After all, they did avoid all my demonic bullets. Worthlessness is out of the picture, I can't render worthless Balance Breaker's yet... I need to spot anything useful. Come on, Danhauser! Fucking think of something!"_

As he kept producing a plan, he continued firing back his demonic powers while completely remaining on the defensive. While he'd found out that using raw demonic energy was enough. The fact that the speed of both monsters was enhanced because of the mutated knight piece made it challenging to land a single hit.

The thought of engulfing his arms with demonic energy or even Senjutsu pestered his mind constantly, but it was a dangerous move. Those claws are nothing to scoff at.

That's when an idea popped into his head.

 _"… I can't render balance breakers worthless because I'm not strong enough."_ He mentally patted himself on the back as he landed a few spells at Jin, but it wasn't enough. _"… What about my True Form?"_

Long ago, before he'd succeeded in developing a healthy relationship with Valerie Tepes, he'd tried to trigger his True Form, while he could only turn his hand into Worthlessness, the release was powerful enough to temporally nullify gravity at the cost of his whole arm.

Apart from dealing significant damage to himself, there was a huge drawback.

 _"It would affect everyone."_ Danhauser spared a quick glance behind his shoulder, resuming his fight against Tobio and Jin. _"Even Satanael, but the bastard has proven enough strength to handle himself without his light powers and while Arondight and his holy sword would be nullified, their sharpness won't. I'll just make it difficult for them, mostly Valerie."_

Not only that but freeing his True Form took a lot of time. Enough time for Tobio or Jin to move extremely fast without him even noticing and land a killing blow.

He briefly stopped when he felt in this immense darkness the warmness of a bright light, but it quickly disappeared, replaced with the sensation of demonic power.

Danhauser blinked and chuckled knowingly. He smirked and minded his own business. "Calvary is here."

Time to build a plan.

* * *

Satanael looked down at David Serro, who slowly was pulling himself up, and smashed his feet on his back. He aimed his fixated silver eyes to the side, noticing his hand planted on Siegfried's face, as the latter clenched his arm back. "Good job for wounding me," he complimented, creating a barrier to block the blessed bullets and shadows.

"We have to do something!" Jeanne, who was fending off a horde of Utsusemi on her own, shouted. "… If I get closer, he may kill both of them!"

"He could've killed us long ago." Valerie Tepes retorted, coiling her shadows around Utsumemi's that tried to go for a sneak attack on the saint. They were crushed to the point of zero recognition. "… And he still can, with or without hostages… the question is what's stopping him?"

Clasping both hands, Jeanne muttered under her breath a prayer. Instantly, within the place, endless huge blades sprung from the ground. Some of the blades had pierced the approaching Utsusemi, the Utsusemi had been skewered by her Sacred Gear.

Jeanne's knitted her eyebrows and answered whilst inspecting her work. "Good question."

The young group gasped when a blue blur ran past them, landing a perfect punch over the Satanael's cheek that sent him hurling away.

Impaling both swords on the ground, Satanael stabilized his posture in mid-flight and caught the upcoming uppercut of the new adversary. He perked up and his eyes widened when a double-edged sword almost cut him in half.

Almost.

Landing far away, Satanael massaged his aching cheek, wincing. "Damn, that's gonna leave a long..." He glared at the figure, noticing the resemblance of a dark knight with a huge blue ponytail sticking on the helmet. "That armor and creepy aura… are you the Emperor's Queen?"

There was no response. The knight summoned multiple magic circles behind him and energy spheres burst, racing toward the cadre.

"Alright then." the fallen angel clicked his tongue and grasped tightly his swords before charging. He either ducked or destroyed the spell with one of his own as he reached the knight. His smirk had been replaced by a hardened expression.

When the Utsusemi leader stood right in front of him, he swung Arondight and the knight rose his blade to parry the strike before kicking Satanael's chest. The cadre recovered quickly and went for another shot.

The armored knight had stalled the cadre's strike but watched a wretched, stained grin split the Fallen Angel's face as their blades trembled under the brutality of their compelling strength. "Fancy sword, _Bluebeard_ ," Satanael throatily crooned, pressing closer to his helmet. "But can it do this?!"

Arondight, from a demonic sword, became a holy sword.

The blade flashed as he brought it over his head and hummed a low, swift tune when he brought it down on the stunned Queen.

"Merde!" Gilles de Rais cursed and jumped out of Satanael's reach, just to tilt his head aside to dodge Arondight in the shape of a _holy spear_. He enveloped his hand with demonic energy and fired, creating an explosion.

A curtain of smoke swaddled the area as the two monsters continued seeking for the finishing blow. Red and yellow bursts of energy expanded and distorted the smoke cloud. Their powerful cries resounded across the dome of darkness as they teleported from place to place with their swords interlocked.

Everyone watching stared in awe at the fight before them. The sounds of swords clashing, slashing the wind and spells exploding made their spines tremble in fear. It was a fight that they'd never saw nor experienced before. Not even David Serro had witnessed.

"Who's that?" Freed Sellzen warily asked form the sidelines, shooting an approaching Utsusemi without looking away. "Is that the reinforcements that the shitty devil told us about?"

Valerie's eyes squinted dangerously, her shadows acting as a shield to block the fire of an Utsusemi, Jeanne quickly ending its life. "Don't call Danhauser 'shitty devil', scumbag."

"Huh?! What was that?!"

"Are you deaf? I called you _scumbag_." She sneered, pausing. "Scumbag."

The cloud settled when the figures jumped out of it, Gilles being the first one to appear. He quickly sent a wave of destructive power from Gram, the beam eating anything stood in the middle, even a few Utsusemi.

He grinned behind his helmet as the attack nailed on Satanael's chest. His scream music to his ears.

Once the Fallen Angel hit the surface, the very earth shook, and the ground shattered like glass.

Valerie quickly rushed toward Siegfried, treating his wounds. "Don't make any harsh moves, I'll make this quick."

David glared at his former student. "Why is that man wielding Gram, Siegfried?"

"…" Siegfried, who was breathing heavily with small cuts and bruises all over his body, looked away in shame. "I…I lost it in a bet with him."

"You _what?!"_ David exploded. "How could you?! Gram is the property of the Church!"

"…"

"… Gilles, you're alive." A voice that wasn't Jeanne's left her lips. Surprising everyone, even herself. "W-what was…" she trailed off with her normal voice, massaging her throat.

The message, however, was effective enough to impact the blue-haired man.

"J-Joan?" He turned around to look at her, his grip over Gram weakening. Even with his helmet obscuring his face, everyone could sense the craggy features suspended between grief and joy.

He slowly walked at her longingly, hand outstretched. "All these years of regrets and loneliness… and you are back to me like an angel."

"Wait, I'm—!" Her mouth froze in horror when she noticed the person behind him. "Behind you!"

Her cry wasn't fast enough to alarm the Queen. A blade pierced his stomach from his back and he roared in pain as the holy energy burned him from the inside.

"You fought in a war, didn't you? Then you must know the rule number one!" Satanael bleated victoriously. "Never let your guard down!"

"F-Fuck off…!" Gilles coughed blood inside his helmet. He elbowed Satanael's nose whilst pulling the holy sword out of his stomach.

Invoking his wings, the Frenchman finally joined them. He breathed heavily. "W-where is young master?" He asked weakly, eyes locked with their enemy and its army.

He was struggling to not glance at Jeanne and stay conscious.

"He's fighting against Tobio in his balance breaker state." the dhampir urgently answered after she'd finished patching Siegfried. "So, I propose we go first assist Danhauser and then—!"

"No." Gilles interrupted. "Young master has it under control."

"What?" She spluttered in disbelief. "Are you out of your mind? He's going to get killed!"

"No, he will not."

"What makes you believe that?" Valerie glared daggers at his back. "What's your argument, Gilles?"

He spared her a momentary look. "He is a Belial." he kept it short and lifted his hand, summoning a four-layered barrier to block the rain of spells. After a minute, the first sheet shattered. "Listen, everyone! At the count of three, all of you will move out of the way and stay out of this. I will handle this."

"No!" A now healed Siegfried joined his side. "I'll fight with you."

"… Mind your business." Gilles coldly stated. "You are already a nuisance to me, do not make it worse."

Jeanne never said a word, her eyes locked on the older Frenchman, mostly his wound.

The third barrier shattered the second layer cracking slightly.

"I don't care," Siegfried growled back. "I'm doing this as an apology for my master!"

Gilles reared back and laughed darkly. "Now what have you done…?"

The second barrier broke.

"We have to move!" Valerie snapped.

"…" Jeanne just stared at Gilles.

"I…I mistrusted him," Siegfried confessed quietly. "The way that he kept antagonizing my former allies made my blood boil, and no matter what he'd said, I would go and visit them regardless of the circumstances..." He clenched his fists. "It was a moronic and a childish thought on my part. He was just trying to do anything to protect us from the politics…Not sure why, but that hit me hard."

The barrier cracked.

"I want to repent for my mistakes." He met his gaze. "To see if I'm still worthy of calling myself knight of the second Champion of the Rating Game." He paused. "Given your background, you of all people must understand that everyone deserves a second chance, Gilles."

Gilles stared for a full minute before addressing everyone. "Move!"

While they were caught off guard, they narrowly evaded the explosions, watching as the elemental spells keep falling from the dark sky.

The hero descendant landed safely beside Gilles. He dusted his attire and looked at him intently.

"… You will not get involved." The older male finally said.

The silver-haired looked ready to argue but jumped back when the Queen stabbed Gram.

"Not with those pathetic swords," Bluebeard nodded and invoked two demonic swords. He charged, and a gust of wind followed him.

Siegfried was completely confused, and his mouth hung wide-open. His heart thrummed inside his ribcage. He felt like a child getting a gift from their favorite hockey player.

Stabbed on the ground was Gram, waiting for someone to wield it.

That, someone, was Siegfried.

Before laying a hand on the handle, he double checked to make sure that his Twice Critical was gone. "I can't wield Gram while my Sacred Gear is active…" He reminded himself. "… After all, my Sacred Gear is a Dragon-type."

Tossing aside his light swords, he finally pulled out Gram from the dirt with ease. "At long last, old friend." He laughed fondly. " Even if it's only for today… This brings pleasant memories."

"I don't wish to sour the mood," the voice of Valerie reached his ears. He looked at her. "But you can make out with your weapon later. Focus on the matter at hand, Siegfried."

The swordsman scoffed at her remark, but smiled a little, enjoying the weight of his favorite sword. "I'm afraid you won't see too much. I was looking forward to showing off how I wield Gram, but now that Gilles is the proprietor." He gave her a wicked smirk. "Suffice to say, I have something that might blow off your shoes."

Grasping his huge weapon with both hands, he selected a stance and the space around him and Gram became stained with dark red blood, and the blade of the sword, enveloped by the radiance of destructive power and the blood of Fafnir, it gave off strange, sinister and furious sounds and flickered with red lightning.

Raising the strongest demonic sword up high, he immediately swung it down. It released a straight line of crimson lightning from the tip of his sword, disintegrating anything in its path and the Utsusemi that tried to stop it.

Gilles and Satanael stopped trading blows. Their eyes settling over the huge beam of red blood stalking after them. The Frenchman backed away while the Fallen Angel shape-shifted the holy Arondight into a shield bigger than his figure.

He slammed down his only defense and the shield expanded forward a wide protective barrier that resembled the wall of a fortress with rune symbols.

In just seconds, the shield and the red beam collided, creating an explosion and birthing a pillar of red billow and dust.

As the smoke cleared, the figure of a damaged Satanael left the cloud. "Mah, mah. That was a close one!" He laughed despite his wounds and tattered clothes.

Valerie stared in shock. "How did he…!"

"Arondight is known as the sister of the True Excalibur," Siegfried answered her confusion. "As such, Arondight has all of the abilities of the seven Excalibur fragments."

"And used _Mimic_ to transform the sword into a shield and _Blessing_ to augment the shield's defense." David eyed the cadre. "… Nonetheless, the attack left our foe damaged."

"But not enough," Valerie grunted, eyes narrowing worriedly. "… Is this the skill and intellect of a veteran that fought during the Great War and lived to tell the tale? Amazing."

Satanael just grinned, keeping his shield close and tapping his holy katana on his shoulder. "Someone did their homework, yeah?"

The silver-haired boy bent his legs and teleported right in front of the Fallen Angel. "This is far from over!" Siegfried declared with a wave of his weapon, blocked by the holy shield.

"Geez, what a pain in the ass." Satanael groaned as he returned the gesture. "Oh bother, but this old man… whatever. Come at me with everything you've got, brat. This old man will show all of you how experience trumps youth!"

Gilles never hesitated on joining the fight.

Valerie just watched Satanael hurling many spells and spamming Arondight's abilities. Casting illusions of himself, summoning barriers, boosting his speed and even the attribute blessing to weaken the two swordsmen and strengthen his power.

"Saint Jeanne, I'll go and handle these 'Utsusemi'." David prepared himself. His brow furrowed at the lack of an answer.

He glanced behind his shoulder, concerned. "Saint Jeanne?"

The blonde fled from her daze. "Ah, sorry, sorry." She grabbed the side of her head, wincing. "It's just… that man… Gilles was his name, wasn't it? It's making me feel weird."

"He was the former Marshal of France," David answered, hesitating. "… He was also an ally of Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years' War."

Jeanne smiled a weakly. David knew that she wasn't Joan of Arc. "I see… Just by hearing his name brought me a headache…" She massaged her temple. "Memories of the war you just said I presume... I hope he's alright."

The man pursed his lips and laid a hand on her shoulder. "… I think it's better if you stay away for now."

* * *

After minutes of dodging and thinking, Danhauser Belial had created by using his inner Keikaku. It annoyed him to be on the defensive most of the time, but because of that, he could already see anything useful and exploit.

And honestly, he was embarrassed for taking a lot of time to build his strategy. It made him feel like a complete idiot.

 _"Tobio's literally the definition of a glass cannon,"_ Danhauser thought while trying to cool down his beating heart. His eyes locked with the two predators. _"Immerse speed, strength, and long range, but little defense."_

He had read it back when he went to school in the underworld, heck even in DxD's Wikipedia back in his previous life, that a Knight's fatal flaw is their durability, but it was compensated by their superhuman speed. Jin perhaps could be also affected by this.

As much as Danhauser wanted to deal little damage to Ikuse Tobio… it was impossible. He had to give the Japanese the beating of his life.

 _"And I know where I have to aim all my attacks."_ His eyes slowly drifted over Tobio's hind legs. _"… If I break his legs, all his amazing speed would be worthless. Enough to activate my True Form."_

Now that Gilles de Rais is here things were great, even if Danhauser succeeded on releasing True Form and rendered anything in his radius to worthless, they would have a great advantage with the Queen of Diehauser Belial fighting by their side.

Either Satanael dug his own grave or retreated.

 _"It won't be wise to use my Gate of Babylon, I would miss and waste demonic energy."_ Danhauser watched calmly as Tobio and Jin ran at him. _"I have to fight with my own fists here. After all, Tobio in a frenzied state preferred to attack me with his claws…"_

Rather than Lycaon'sconsciousness, it was his madness.

To his surprise, both Jin and Tobio ran to the sides, leaving in the middle a perplexed devil.

"What are they…" He trailed off aloud, watching them with a fixed distance. His eyes widened in horror as he saw Tobio shattering one of Jeanne's glowing swords. He looked behind to see Jin doing the same thing. "No!"

Before he could move forward and stop them, countless dark blades were also destroying Danhauser's only source of light, causing his night vision to act and make both beasts unseen in his sight.

The heir was slow to react when invisible sharp claws slashed at his chest. "Fuck!" He cried out and threw blind punches with his fist warped in ki.

The _energy_ of life.

He was missing. There was no sound of a whimper of neither Jin nor Tobio. He was the one getting damaged by both beasts.

A set of canine teeth wrapped around his arm, harshly the creature shook its head. Holding a scream of pain, Danhauser trucked an uppercut, this time he felt an obstacle.

He hastily closed his eyes and switched on Senjutsu vision. He was face to face with a tall werewolf and a _scythe_ ready to spread him apart.

Danhauser this time acted first. He thrust an engulfed fist of ki on his stomach with great force that the beast was hurled away.

With a bleeding chest and wounds, Danhauser squatted and placed a hand on the ground, keeping himself balanced. From his back, twelve arms of resin sprouted free.

All of them had one thing in common. The fists were surrounded by Senjutsu.

 _"Uncle said I can't use resin on my skin,"_ he recalled, watching Tobio shakily getting on his feet. _"He never said clothes."_

He didn't even have to move from his spot. He swung his right arm and six of resin mirrored his movements, stretching at the distanced werewolf. The sheer force was enough to not only release a painful howl from the werewolf but leave him slightly dazzled as well.

Danhauser wasn't done. He cocked both fists back and the twelve arms of resin stretched further back before racing and throwing a devastating barrage of Senjutsu punches.

The heir augmented his speed. In a fit of fury, the werewolf swung his scythe and successfully sliced off the approaching resin arms, but they grew back immediately.

Danhauser grinned as the werewolf was forced on the defensive and walk backward. It crossed its arms above its chest in futile attempts to weaken the strikes. It quickly invoked a wall of dense darkness, resistant enough to repel Danhauser's attack.

The air distorting and whistling worked as a warning. The devil outran its blades, jumping from left to right and with a snap of his fingers, multiple limbs of resin appeared behind Tobio and crashed on its vulnerable back. He finally deactivated his Senjutsu vision, the hard blows illuminating the battle thanks to the fire of his Sage Arts.

In the end, the beast was pummeled to the dust and to make things painful to him, Danhauser went for his legs. The pure devil swore he heard the scream of the real Tobio and the beast controlling him.

Danhauser jumped away. "Does it hurt?!" He cried out, raising a hand up to eye level. "You just wait until I learn Touki!"

He began compressing all his demonic energy in his lifted hand, the tip of his digits slowly becoming Worthlessness.

Tobio struggled standing up, even using his scythe as a support, but his broken legs proved the task was difficult. Landing on the floor, he growled and tossed his scythe at Danhauser's direction.

In midair, the scythe morphed into the full-grown hound, Jin. After releasing a fearless howl, the black hound sank into the shadows that had extended beneath its feet. Once the dog was within its shadow, the shadow scattered and began shooting around the battlefield. As each of them glided along seemingly with an independent will.

Danhauser merely watched fearlessly, his hand releasing all his demonic energy reserves.

The effects were bearing fruits, Danhauser forcefully left the ground alongside an immobile Tobio and Jin. The latter was still giving its useless chase. Simultaneously with the cleansing of the dark regions, the countless blades crumbled and dissolved and the darkness outside was steadily clearing, revealing small rays of the sun.

Rather than running, Jin looked as if it was swimming in the air.

"Danhauser!" Valerie Tepes' shout could be heard from far away. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"Winning this fight." His clenched fist shook from the pressure. He gritted his teeth. "… Here goes nothing."

At last, a pulse of Worthlessness exploded, expanding and devouring anything in its grasp.

* * *

After minutes of aimlessly floating around. Gravity returned home and yanked everyone to the ground with a horrible landing.

"Sunshine…" Valerie Tepes grunted and brought a hand up, doing her best to impede the rays of the sun caressing her pale skin.

"The hell just happened!?" Her eyebrow twitched after listening to the pleasing vocabulary of Freed Sellzen.

"Gravity was gone for a while," David Serro slowly left the grass, glancing at his crimson sword with a frown. "… Strange, Galatine isn't releasing any holy energy at all."

"I-I can't summon my swords!" Jeanne reported, worried. "My Sacred Gear isn't answering my prayers!"

"Gram is reacting the same way!" Siegfried anxiously shook his sword in a weak attempt to repair it. "Come on!"

Valerie frowned and tried to manipulate her own shadows. Nothing. This time she tried summoning her Longinus, suffering the same consequences. Finally, she dared to look at the aftermath of their fight, some of the Utsusemi destroyed beyond reparation, some of them were unscratched but stopped functioning. She caught sight of the Belial crest tattoed on some of them.

"Weird…" She sat on the ground with an iffy expression. "Is this your doing, Danhauser?"

"It has to be," Gilles de Rais spoke, capturing her attention. He lifted his hand, revealing the Belial symbol printed on his palm. "… Whenever you're rendered worthless by someone of the Belial Clan, their symbol will be printed where they had punched you, or in this case, any part of your body."

"But how?" She asked, checking herself to spot the sigil. "Pray tell… How come Danhauser cursed us all at the same time?"

"…" The Queen stayed silent, eyes locked in the sky. He watched the figure slowly turning into a dot as they distanced themselves. When gravity was gone, Satanael had changed plans and swam in the air far away from them, before landing on the ground like the rest. He quickly summoned his wings and parted ways.

Without taking his eyes from the retreating figure, he responded. "… Good question."

He had an idea.

"Guys!" Everyone twisted their necks enough to see Cleria Belial running at them, waving her arms wildly. "Is everyone alright? You guys were inside of a huge dome of darkness!" She noted all the broken machines. "Whoa! What are those?!"

"We're going to make it," Valerie replied briefly. "Those are Utsusemi."

"Ah, Lady Cleria!" Gilles washed with relief, covering his deep wound. "Do not worry about me, this is just a flesh wound!"

"… Are you sure?"

"Positive. I am glad that you are safe and sound! I deeply apologize for not keeping you safe while I was fending off the enemy."

"Don't apologize, Gilles, I'm good." she looked around in worry. "Where's Danny and that guy with a mask?"

"Satanael escaped." Siegfried joined the circle, constantly peeking at Gram in deep concern. "… I thought with Gilles' help, we'd have him cornered."

Bluebeard scoffed. "I am an Ultimate-Class Devil in terms of power." he wore off his helmet. "… He possessed Satan-class strength... plus he was carrying two Holy Swords. If my King or his mother were here, then there would be no doubt that this man would be eating the dirt."

"Then why neither Lord Belial or Lady Belial came?" The silver-haired asked.

Cleria answered stiffly. "I'm honestly shocked that I could make contact from here to the Underworld," she muttered. "I'm not a pro making distanced calls, they were out of my reach..."

"I, on the other hand, was available." The butler continued for her. "They were in a meeting that involved both Lord and Lady in Ars Goetia."

Cleria's eyes scanned the whole place. "Danny? W-where is he?"

"Here." The group of Devils followed the familiar voice. It was Danhauser Belial carrying underneath his armpit a knocked out Ikuse Tobio and above his shoulders a huge black dog. "Can someone lend me a hand? I'm fucking tired."

Valerie stood in place and studied his new appearance. Like everyone, he was worn and battered, a large wound across his chest that was still dripping blood with mixed sweat. What took the cake was his arm twisted, inflated and colored in black.

It reminded her of that moment.

"Young Master!" Gilles and Cleria immediately ran at his side, terrified looks splattered across their faces. "Your arm! What happened?!"

Letting the Frenchman to carefully pick up Tobio and Jin, Danhauser answered. "… I used my True Form."

"I knew it," Gilles muttered to himself. "… While I would disagree on using it. Just for this occasion, it was a wise decision."

Cleria bit her lip. "Feel anything?"

Danhauser strained a chuckle. "I can't feel my arm at all." He nodded at Gilles' wound. "You're also hurt."

"Do not worry." Gilles waved off his concern. "I will live."

"I would love to heal both of you." Valerie heaved a sigh. "But because of your True Form. I cannot."

"Shit!" Siegfried jolted when Gram's destructive aura once again warped around the blade. He boasted a laugh. "Gram's powers, they're back!"

"Huh, that was convenient." Valerie placed her hand on his chest, initiating her healing techniques. "I hope you don't mind if I start first with my master, Gilles."

"As you should." The French butler congratulated her. "You are protecting young master. I am thankful for that."

"Galatine is back too, that's good to hear." David Serro said gracefully as Galatine hummed its holy aura once again. He sheathed his sword and cast a glare at his former pupil. "I don't care from whose side you are fighting for, Siegfried. But Gram is the property of the Church Headquarters."

"Wait, you're mistaken..." Siegfried trailed off sadly. "This is Gilles'…"

"Are you not going to defend what belongs to you, you waste of breath?" Gilles interrupted him with a scoff, making the silver-haired looked at him wide-eyed. "… It makes someone wonder why Gram has chosen someone like you as its wielder."

Siegfried ignored his smarminess, his mind began to shut down, unwilling to think anymore.

Just a question kept his brain functioning properly.

 _Why?_

 _Why?_

 _Why?_

"One last time, Siegfried," David's strict voice yanked him back to the real world. "I need you to give me back the—!"

"No."

David's eyes narrowed perilously. "Excuse me?"

Siegfried met his glare with one of his own. "I said no, David. I refuse to give you this sword."

A sudden cold atmosphere bloomed around them, enough to make the two parties select a stance.

Jeanne and Cleria just looked between them with troubled expressions.

"… We had finished a dangerous fight," David reminded him bitterly. "Do not start another one."

"Gram doesn't belong to the Church, it's ownership is to the Original Siegfried." The silver-haired pointed himself with a thumb. "I, as his descendant, makes me now the owner of Gram."

"Give. The. Sword. Back." David spat behind clenched teeth. "I don't want to hurt you."

"I'm not afraid of you, David," Siegfried fearlessly said, grabbing tightly his demonic sword. "If you want Gram, you'll have to take it over my dead body. In fact, I would be thankful if we fought."

His former teacher's anger became confusion. "What?"

The silver-haired pointed Gram at him. "Listen carefully because I'm not going to repeat myself." He paused. "… To become the strongest swordsman… is my ultimate goal as a swordsman."

Everyone stayed silent.

"Yourself, Gilles, your Eminence Cristaldi, and Strada," he continued. "Anyone who is a master at the sword is a target of my skills. I will fight each one of you and I will leave as the victor."

Bluebeard curved an eyebrow but remained silent.

The tense silence was cut by the hysterical laughter of Freed who was hugging his stomach. "Fat chance!"

"…" Siegfried just watched him roll on the floor.

"You serious?!" He soaked his teary eyes and picked himself up. "You think you can defeat them?! You're just a tiny little fish swimming inside a hugeee fucking pond, Shitfried! You'll get your ass kicked before you can even take a shit!"

"Trust me. I don't pick fights I can't win, Freed." Siegfried boasted, breaking into a smirk. "… I'll also defeat a dragon by myself."

"… You can't be fucking serious right now."

"As the descendant of the Dragon Slayer himself, it's my obligation to keep up with the tradition." Siegfried ignored him. "… It's an insult to my ancestor to not make the dragons fear my bloodline."

His former teacher was stunned. He tried to say a word, but they soon melted inside his throat. Finally, the all serious David broke into a fit of laughter. "…You have really changed. I remember when you were a toddler, you had this very serious, no-nonsense demeanor whose purpose was swinging that damned sword and that's it…"

Siegfried said nothing.

"Your Eminence Cristaldi was wrong it seems." David was grinning now. "… It's irrelevant how you were born, Siegfried. You're still like us, you have an ambition. That's good to hear."

"Keep it." Jeanne finally said with a sweet smile. "Gram chose you for a reason. Now, after hearing you vent off, I'm pretty sure Gram doesn't want anyone else to wield it."

David sunk his eyebrows. "What? _No!_ The sword is still coming back to us!"

"Now that we know about Siegfried's status it's very unlikely they want a sword that is grasped by a Devil." Jeanne countered.

"That doesn't make fucking sense," Freed muttered.

"… I won't be taking responsibility." David spared Siegfried one last look. "What should I say to Lint now that we found you?"

"Tell her to forget about me. Siegfried is gone. Forever."

"… I see."

Danhauser took a step forward and harrumphed. His body fully healed thanks to the Sephiroth Graal. "Thank you for what you did for my knight." He nodded at Jeanne, lips pursed. "… However, the alliance we had is over."

Her eyes widened, her irises shrunken. "W-what?" she shook her head with a fragile laugh. "T-this is just a joke, right? Please?"

"No, it isn't." He saw her freezing. "I'm breaking our truce because we're both horrible leaders."

"W-what do you mean?"

Danhauser pocketed his hands. "… You just proved to me that you don't have control over your followers. You told Touji to stay away from my cousin, but he ignored your order." He looked behind his shoulder, at his unconscious mutated knight. "… Meanwhile, I'd prohibited Tobio to use his Balance Breaker… yet he disobeyed, and we were almost killed because of it… Maybe I'm not king material after all."

"D-Dan, please…"

"What's the point of forming an alliance if we can't control our subordinates?" He met her gaze once again. "When there's still mistrust between us? When our own people don't take us seriously?"

"J-just a second chance… I-I beg you…"

"From now on, I wish you good luck on building that bridge between the three factions. Goodbye." Danhauser spun around and took his leave. "Gilles take us to Cleria's house."

"…" Bluebeard watched with a broken heart the saint dropping silently on her knees. Tears threatening to fall from her lifeless eyes. "Joan…"

He felt someone tugging his arm softly. "Gilles come on." It was Cleria. "It's time to go."

"B-but Joan!" He tried to take a step forward. "Joan! She needs my—!"

"Gilles, _please._ It's all over now."

Glancing between the woman he swore to protect and the saint he'd failed to protect, his heartbeat echoed in his ears as the stares of everyone almost put him on the edge.

He reluctantly closed his eyes and invoked a teleportation circle beneath them.

* * *

David Serro and Freed Sellzen awkwardly remained still, their eyes set on the beautiful maiden on her knees, hiding her face with her hands as she wept and hiccupped, blonde hair splayed around her.

No matter what they both did, she would refuse to move.

"Geez…" Freed rolled his eyes. "Can we move already? Fucking sun is getting annoying."

"Saint Jeanne!" A voice cried out, the sound of multiple footsteps mixed with pants nearing. "Everyone!"

David and Freed looked to the side as characters with white cloaks approached, one of them being Masaomi Yaegaki.

They finally stopped meters away from them, the one in the middle, Touji Shidou took a step forward. "Masaomi told me what'd happened. I apologize for not joining the fight… but we didn't want to be a dead weight."

Jeanne dangerously stood up and strolled to Touji, hair shadowing her eyes.

"Everything is fine, Touji…" David drawled his sight following Jeanne who had walked past them. "Saint Jeanne?"

Touji laid his worried gaze over Jeanne, sighing in relief after seeing her unbruised condition. "Thank God you're alright, Jeanne. After hearing about that mysterious figure with a mask, I thought that... why are you crying?"

Touji was silenced by Jeanne's right hook.

Everyone gasped in shock.

"Pffff!" Freed blew air from his nose and snorted a laugh. "Hooooly shiiiiit!" He pointed at Touji while giggling like a hyena. "That looked like it fuckin' hurt! Now I dig why everyone calls her the Fist of God!"

The rest were nailed on their spot. Eyes wide and jaws stretched out at the scene before them.

Meanwhile, through his blurry vision, Touji saw the saint approaching like an enraged panther.

"Masaomi trusted you. I thought I could too!" She knelt and gripped his collar. Her fist cocked back and ready to strike. "So why in the hell did you doom us all?!"

"…"

She roughly yanked his face closer. "Answer me!"

"… They're devils." Touji answered, blood dripping from his lips. "They're evil."

A pair of veins popped from her temple. "Not all of them follow that criterion!" She snapped. "There are exceptions!"

"And how do you know that?!" Touji fired back. "Just because you'd talked with them?! Just because they smiled at you now and then?! You're so damn naïve!"

Her cocked fist trembled in anger.

"If you were a parent you would understand!" Touji coughed out. "My daughter and her friend live in this damned town too! I couldn't just let my greatest joy and pride walk on the streets that have devils lurking the corners, I couldn't just sit and cross my arms, I had to do something!"

She felt drops of crimson splatter across her face. But she didn't care. "… They wouldn't go after Irina."

"How do you know that? Do you have any proves?"

"... Because they're not like that."

"… Why are you constantly drawing them as if they're angels?" He finally pushed her and left the grass, dusting his priest uniform. "Which side are you on?"

Her brows furrowed. "… What are you implying?"

"… You've been spending a lot of time with that devil." Touji pointed out. "Remember what's transpiring outside of Japan, famous nuns and maidens were cast out by their churches because they believed they were seduced by an unrecognized devil..."

"What?! I am not being seduced by no one, Touji!" Jeanne lashed out. "Neither is Dan the one behind the conspiracy of the exiled nuns and maidens!"

"If it's true that you're not getting manipulated, then stay away from them." Touji wiped his bloody lips with a finger. "Remember what faction you're fighting for."

"Only the Lord may forbid me anything. I will seek peace whether you like it or not."

Touji's fists clenched and left without a word, followed by his nervous subordinates and Masaomi.

…

…

…

"For the time being, I think it's better if we give them some space," David proposed, pinching his nose. "Hopefully we can find a hotel for a night or two."

Jeanne's glare was tight on Touji's back. "Yes. I think that would be a wise decision, David."

Nothing else to add, she sharply stormed in a different direction. Freed and David chasing from behind.

* * *

Satanael finally landed with a grunt. "Fucking hell…" He groaned out, dropping on the floor. "If it wasn't for Euclid's orders I would…"

"Huh, you're still alive," a feminine voice observed. It was Walburga. "Welcome back, I guess."

He rolled his silver eyes, passing a finger under his nose. "They can pack quite the punch."

"Why'd you wear that damn mask in the first place?" She deadpanned. "You thought that it would somehow conceal your presence?"

"Dunno." He laughed at her remark. "If you don't know what the fuck you are doing, how are your enemies supposed to know what the fuck you are doing?"

She stared flatly.

"Whatever. Did you show it to him?" He demanded, eliciting a curved eyebrow from the witch. "The video, did you showed it to that Lucifuge brat?"

"Yeah, I did." She lent him his phone, it was vibrating. "… He wants to speak with you."

With a sigh, he answered the call. "That's the target Danny-boy was hiding."

[It would appear so.] Euclid Lucifuge hummed. [What's the story behind this video? Danhauser Belial seemed to be agitated.]

"There are exorcists in that town," Satanael replied, scratching his head. "His cousin, the one in the video, was dating one of them."

There was silence for two minutes. [… I'm impressed you found something valuable as this.] Euclid genuinely praised the cadre. [Is Danhauser Belial staying in Kuoh Town just as you planned it?]

"He will." the fallen angel waved off his worries. "That's for sure."

[… Your assistant told me everything about your plan. As reckless as it was, it somehow worked in your favor. You have proven yourself to be an excellent member of Lord Lucifer. Congratulations.]

"What's next?" He asked. He honestly didn't care what Euclid or anyone of Qlippoth thought about him neither could he care about their goals, he was working on something else.

[Pay a visit to the Seventy-Two Pillars, you won't be traveling alone this time.] The silver-haired chuckled mischievously. [You're going to receive company from your assistant, stray magicians of Nilrem and Níðhöggr. You'll be in charge of this mission.]

"Get straight to the point, man."

[You're going to infiltrate the Phenex State.] He responded and Satanael pictured the devil smiling faintly. [Meanwhile, Lord Nebiros and I will secretly contact an elder of Ars Goetia.]

"You want me to attack Lord and Lady Phenex and someone from the Top Ten?" Satanael said incredulously, shaking his head. "You're fucking crazy."

[Relax.] Euclid said with amusement. [You're not going to lead an attack to the Phenex Castle. There's a settlement located within the Phenex Territory that is going to be favorable for us. I'll send you the coordinates. Anything else?]

"Yeah." He lifted Arondight to eye level, swapping its element between demonic and holy energy constantly. "Make sure to tell that Nebuchad that he outdid himself with the sword! It's sick!"

[Besides Rudiger Rosenkreutz, Lord Nebiros is a master when it involves alchemy across the Underworld, a perfect member for Qlippoth. Keep in mind he's not done with Arondight, he's going to upgrade it into a Holy Demonic Sword.] Euclid explained. [I'm ending the call. Good luck.]

The pure devil finally hung up. Satanael looked at his phone oddly, reading the message that included coordinates of his destination.

"What now?" Walburga asked, looking at the screen from his shoulder. "What are those for?"

"Our next mission," Satanael replied tediously, pocketing his phone. "Let's get moving."

* * *

"And that's all." Danhauser Belial walked restlessly in circles around the guest room. He stopped to spare a glance at his brother's hologram. "That's my report."

The grayish hologram of Diehauser Belial nodded. [Alright, good to know.] He said, breaking stares with a scowl. [Now, the problem here is getting the attention of the government. I'll do what I can until then.]

[This is troublesome. From what Gilles and you told me is that Satanael never used his wings nor his light attacks...] Danhauser looked up at his brother's hologram. The Emperor sighed. [… You know that he could kill all of you, right?]

"Without a doubt, but he didn't." Danhauser folded his arms and concentrated. "I believe he was scouting the area to trace the people that have ruined his progress with the Utsusemi Project."

Diehauser wore a cold expression. [Meaning that he's going to eventually come back for round two.] His eye hardened when a memory reached his mind. [… We now have issues with the Exorcists, don't we?]

The face that Diehauser displayed made Danhauser sweat a little. Rarely did the Rating Game Champion pulled a negative facial appearance like that one.

It was as rare as fishing a blue lobster.

Danhauser quietly nodded.

[For so long they were under our noses. That's it. Because of this, chances of expelling out the exorcists from Kuoh Town have increased marginally.] Diehauser announced. [This could peek the interest of the government since Kuoh Town is where contracts are made the most.]

Danhauser slowly glued his gray orbs over the entrance of the room. Those were actually amazing news. What made him somewhat sad was the case of Jeanne.

 _"It was for the better."_ Danhauser jolted from his daze. "How long would it take?"

[… A lot of time I'm afraid.] Diehauser sighed, almost facepalming. [Who knows how much it would take for Heaven to accept a meeting and solve the problems between us. If they take a lot of time, then we have the right to kick them out without their permission since we have all the evidence at our disposal.]

Danhauser buried his face in his palms, a part of him wishing that his brain would suddenly shut down and fall asleep. Unfortunately, his pleas were ignored. "What if they're still allowed to stay here?"

His voice was muffled, but Lord Belial heard him fine. [Easy. You and Cleria are coming back to the Underworld.] Diehauser responded firmly. [I will not risk the life of my family for a mere town.]

The Emperor left no room for arguments. Not like Danhauser was against his brother's ideas, on the contrary. He just hoped that Cleria would understand the situation they are facing.

[… I heard from Gilles' report that you tried triggering True Form.] Danhauser winced at the accusation. [Is that true?]

The heir looked anywhere but his brother. "… Yeah, I did." He admitted with a sigh.

A sigh that Diehauser slowly used. [Dan…]

"I had to use it!"

[I know, I know.] Diehauser rose a hand to calm him down. [Cleria may do an exception here but remember you can't use True Form unless you have the governor's permission of that territory. It's illegal.]

Danhauser pursed his lips. "Yeah, sure."

The Emperor looked behind his brother. [It's already late, you should take a rest.] Diehauser smiled faintly. [Are you sure you don't want Gilles to stay there for the time being?]

 _"And risking Gilles dropping a Diodora on Jeanne? No thanks."_ He took a deep breath and replied. "I'll keep an eye with my Peerage. If things get out of control, I'll make sure to call anyone from the Belial Clan."

[You better.] the older brother sternly said. [Sleep tight.]

"Make sure to thank Gilles from my part from cleaning the place from the Utsusemi." Danhauser waited for the hologram to vanish before his shoulders slumped. "… This is getting worse and worse... I don't even know what the fuck to do right now." he sat, tired-eyed, flipped the lights off and slumped over his bed.

For sure tomorrow in the morning he was going to check the health condition of Ikuse Tobio and Jin. They're asleep on the next room and under the watch of Toujou Sae, his childhood friend.

Which Danhauser found it unnecessary, Siegfried and Bova Tannin are in the main room guarding the place. He alongside his cousin, Cleria Belial, planted as many magic circles as they could.

Just as he was ready to slip beneath the sheets, Danhauser heard a knock on the door of his bedroom.

With a drained groan, he stood up and answered the door, to his surprise, it was his Pawn. She's dressed in a casual nightgown and her light blonde hair hang loose. She has her arms folded behind the back.

"Um, hi," she said sheepishly, rocking on her toes. "Are you occupied?"

He finally broke from his daze. "Valerie?" He dumbly asked, rubbing his eyes. "What's wrong?"

She looked down, toying with the loose fabric between her fingers. "I know it's too soon, but I was wondering if we could initiate with our date?"

"… Right now?"

"Right now."

After looking at her in wonder, he released a tired chuckle. "It's late already." he gestured at the window lazily. "… Plus, I'm not in the mood of going outside."

"I don't want to go out either," the dhampir stated. "You told me a date is about spending time with friends no matter the place." She paused, hesitating. "… You also appear to be agitated from the previous events. I want to help you out."

Not in the mood for arguing, he released a long sigh and walked to the bed, followed quietly by Valerie Tepes.

As they took a seat, silenced did so too. Neither of them opened their mouths to subdue the awkward silence.

Valerie Tepes finally spoke. "You were _really_ angry," she murmured. "You looked ready to tear him apart."

His mouth remained an uncharacteristic grim line, but he answered. "I was pissed off."

"I see."

…

…

…

"... Hey, do you trust me?"

Danhauser scoffed indignantly. "Of course, I do! Otherwise, I wouldn't let you inside the room."

"Lay down on your bed," she said simply.

The pure devil quickly caught up and he was about to offer his bed for herself, but it was obvious that she would get offended. So, he played her game.

The heir carefully positioned on the other side of the bed, letting his head hit the pillow.

"Don't move," she said, her dark red eyes on him as she joined him, mimicking his action almost to the letter.

Finally, she laid her head on his chest. "Your heart. It's thrumming fast. You're nervous." She noted softly, meeting his gaze. "… Is this because of what we're facing?"

They were almost face-to-face, torso-to-torso, personal space was practically gone at this point.

"Why are you doing this…?" Danhauser couldn't help but ask, breaking stares.

"Back in the cells of the Tepes Castle, Gasper would constantly get nervous," she explained, placing her ear on his chest once more. "To calm him down, I'd let him sleep atop of me… it was effective, but since you're taller than him, this position is for the better. Are you uncomfortable?" Her lips curled into an 'innocent' smile. "Or would you rather be on top while I stay on bottom?"

"Stop."

"Ehehehe... I'm serious, are you uncomfortable?"

Danhauser paused to weigh his options. "… Do you trust me?"

"You trusted me, I trust you too."

He lifted an arm up and locked it around her waist gently, holding her close. "Better."

If you can't beat them, join them.

She never wore signs of hostility by his actions, she just hummed and said. "I'll be honest with you. I'm unable to relate on your loyalty and love for your family." she admitted. "… But I know what you're thinking, your cousin won't be executed."

Danhauser laughed wryly. "How do you know that?"

"Because there is no evidence to prove otherwise." Valerie's cheek nuzzled against his chest. "On the contrary... I know you'll figure something out. You always do."

"Most likely there will be consequences."

"There are _always_ consequences from our actions. It's bound to be there," she affirmed adamantly. "However, the magnitude of the ripples these actions generate varies as per the nature of the action being actualized on your behalf."

"Such as when I'd recruited Tobio on the Peerage." He rubbed his face with his free hand. "I had made us targets of Satanael and his crew."

"The point being is adapting, both mentally and physically, for whatever storm comes at you."

Danhauser stayed quiet for a whole minute, digesting everything she'd said. Sometimes, he would notice the girl glancing at his neck or wrist constantly. He understood. "Hey, are you still hungry?"

The question hit her a little harder than he expected, and she allowed her eyes to wander around, lips pursed. "I try not to think about it," she whispered.

"Go for it." He simply said. "Drink my blood."

"… Are you sure?"

"Yeah." He nodded strongly and tilted his head, leaving his neck exposed. "I know you're worried, but you shouldn't, just take your—!"

Valerie dug her sharp teeth into his neck.

Danhauser gasped by the sudden assault. His toes curling, and his hands clenched the sheets as the dhampir kept sucking the blood out of his veins. However, as a minute passed, his body heated a little, enjoying the warmth of the room together for a moment.

"V-Valerie…!" He stopped a moan by biting his fist, patting her back desperately. "I… I think that's _enough_ for today...!"

Reluctantly, she pulled away from his neck and sat on the bed. He saw her sucking lips were still moist with a little blood, but she slowly washed it with her tongue. She met his gaze and grinned. "Sweet, mellow, and rich. Delicious, as expected from a pure-blooded devil."

 _"… That was fucking awkward,"_ He breathed heavily with a small blush, a hand where she sunk her fangs. _"… And it felt… great. I need help."_

"Hey," She whispered playfully, a teasing smile on her lips. "My name. You moaned it."

"Uh, no I didn't."

"Ehehehe…" She rested her chin on the crook of his neck and placed a hand on his chest. "Your heartbeat, it's steady as it should be. I'm glad."

"That's thanks to you." He mumbled. "Good night."

"Good night," Valerie said back and goes to sleep.

It's not long that Danhauser followed suit, not before fist pumping.

* * *

"What are we doing here, again?" Bedeze Abaddon whispered to the reincarnated devil. The double doors magically opened and were led by another endless corridor. "We're not in trouble… are we?"

Rudiger Rosenkreutz frowned, letting his legs do their work. "Unless we committed a crime we weren't aware of then no," he responded at ease, eyes still scanning the area. "This is entirely different…"

It has been weeks since they were messaged by the government to meet up with two important figures in Lucifaad. Rudiger doesn't know what made him accept the call and follow the instructions, curiosity would be the befitting word.

"I've got a bad feeling about this, Rudiger…" The blond drawled and gazed sharply behind his shoulder. "Hurry up, Roygun! You are lagging behind!"

"Hmm?" Roygun Belphegor calmly stretched a single eye open, trailing behind the two males. "You easily get frightened, Bedeze." She yawned behind her hand, unhurriedly joining the seventh and third rankers. "You should relax from time to time."

"How can you be so laid back in times like this?!" Bedeze snapped in a hushed tone. "Behave yourself!"

"Rudiger," the three Ultimate Devils glanced forward and flinched by the disapproving glare of Elder Naberius. "Your friends do enjoy _speaking_ loudly, don't they?" He said coolly.

"…" They immediately shut up.

"Now, now. Elder Naberius." Zekram Bael chuckled at his low temper. "Don't be rude, the children are just nervous. We haven't explained to them what's happening right now nor their main objective."

"If I'm allowed to voice my thoughts, Great King." Bedeze waited for Zekram's blessing. He just received a 'go on' gesture. "… Should we expect something extremely important?"

The Great King just flashed a business smile. "All in due time, third-ranked. All you need to know is that, for this occasion, you three are acting as our vanguards. Yes, I did ask permission of your respective elders, Bedeze, Roygun."

"…" The three Rating Game competitors exchanged looks.

The trip to wherever they were being taken became tenser than before. It wasn't worthy of digging for more answers to locate the big picture, Zekram would either ignore them or chuckle by their meddlesome questions, avoiding them.

It was a few minutes before they reached their destination. Blocking their entrance was a pair of doors, compared to the others, these ones were far more elegant than the others, the seventh-ranked speculated it was a meeting room.

However, what was behind the twin doors made the three Ultimate Devils stay on guard.

"Holy energy…" Rudiger muttered dangerously.

Zekram spun to address them. "Lower your spells, we're not here to fight anybody." He ordered, and the vanguards hesitantly vanished their demonic powers. "This is an important negotiation, I need each one of you quiet during the event."

"Wouldn't it be a great moment to explain _everything_ to us, Great King?" The Cherry-Blossom Devil said, mildly startled.

First Generation Bael never answered, just twisted the door and got inside, followed by elder Naberius.

They quickly hurried inside.

As they took their time to drink the beauty and length of the meeting room, their eyes settled over the rounded table, most specific, the figures sitting on the other end and the other two behind them, acting as guards.

Male and female. Matching blonde hair and green eyes shaped in a perpetually sad manner, dressed in white robes as their bodies exuded a sense of dignity, giving them strong stateliness.

The guards followed their uniform to the letter, but their hair and eyes were tinted differently.

Their strength was nothing to scoff at.

"No way…" Bedeze gaped. "Are they the Four…? W-what's happening…?"

Rudiger's green eyes roamed constantly from Zekram to the blond figure, building answers.

"…" Roygun's mouth became a thin line, unable to reply.

"Archangel." Zekram gave a polite nod at the twelve-winged Angel. "You haven't changed, all of you."

Michael stood up from his seat, followed by Gabriel. "Great King Bael." He and the Seraphs returned the gesture cordially. "It's been a long time."

"Indeed, it has." Elder Bael sat on a specific seat with elder Naberius at his side. "I bring information that involves your faction and mine."

As Michael returned to his chair with Gabriel. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes in anticipation.

With the last breath, he opened his eyes and whispered. "Let's hear it."

* * *

 **Next Chapter:** **Forgotten by God**


	28. Forgotten by God

**Chapter 28: Forgotten by God**

* * *

Zekram Bael cleared his throat and laughed out a nostalgic chuckle, "I was expecting a malicious ambiance all over the room. From what happened long ago, from the many losses each Faction have suffered — we should be holding knives at each other's throats," He met Michael's eyes with a faint smirk, "Wouldn't you concur, Archangel?"

"But Great King, I can't feel any hostility coming from you," Michael noted, not wavering under the purple orbs of the elder, "It's all gone."

"Neither can I sense yours, Archangel."

"Forgive and you will be forgiven," Gabriel quoted with a gentle smile, "That's how it is. We should put our grudges aside for the greater good of our people — focus on our main priorities."

"Such as protecting our race from extinction. That's what matters now," Michael added with curled lips, "Suffice to say, it's good to see you once again after so many eons."

Gabriel exploded with delight by clapping enthusiastically, "Oh, this is going to be amazing! I bet great things are going to happen throughout this meeting!"

The Elder of Bael had expected a different reaction — an aloof atmosphere and glares fired from left to right. The Great War left an unforgettable scar on each Faction, mostly the Angel Faction after losing their Creator and former Leader — God of the Bible.

Even then, they were mere soldiers back then, obeying the commands of their respective leaders to protect their own nation, people and culture. Zekram couldn't loathe Michael for obeying orders.

Because history itself had recorded him as one of the first creations of Lucifer and Lilith alongside Rofocale Lucifuge, society had painted them as the most loyal warriors of Lucifer back in his prime. The right and left hand of the Morning Star — Lucifer.

They weren't.

Zekram never favored the goal of the Original Satans searching for global domination by destroying this world and building another one that followed their ideology of a new ' _World of Devils'_ to the letter _._

It was stupid.

It was boring.

It never made sense, nor was he interested.

But misbehaving would most likely cost Zekram a thousand whippings, humiliation, and his whole Clan being stripped from their high rank.

"Likewise," The first Bael nodded in acknowledgment before coughing sharply behind his fist. Time is money and it would be unwise to spend it poorly, "Let's stop beating around the bush, you must have a stressful schedule thanks to your status in Heaven."

Michael blew a weak sigh, lying comfortably on his throne to ready himself. He waved his hand in a swift motion, "Let's make haste then."

In the background, the Rating Game competitors were basked in awkwardness. Unlike those situated on the table — they were visibly unsettled. A meeting between devils was something they would tolerate no matter if they were from Extra Demons or the City of Dis.

But a gathering organized by the Four Great Seraphs—whose presence nearly suffocated them with holy energy — was not a trial they would tread too well.

Nonetheless, they'd accepted — albeit reluctantly — the responsibility. It would give them a bad image if they were to refuse the orders of authority figures such as the Old Devils.

"… We know how strained the relationship between Devils and Angels are," Zekram started and the room fell into absolute silence, "To the point that we had to settle rules to make sure no one of our races had breaching someone else's territory in mind. A perfect example is how most of Europe — especially the Vatican — is Angel territory. If a Devil neared, the Angels would have permission to exterminate them for disobeying."

"Well, that's a cruel approach…" Roygun Belphegor whispered loud enough for the second and seventh rankers to listened, "Wouldn't it be better to imprison them and wait for the Underworld to pay a fine for breaking the law?"

Bedeze Abaddon bestowed her a flat glance before focusing back to the meeting — adjusting his tie, "Unless Angels share the same coin as the Underworld, then very unlikely."

"My point still stands," Roygun persisted, a hand over her slim waist, "The Three Factions are lacking numbers and while we discovered a solution thanks to Satan Beelzebub's research, the Angels and Fallen Angels are still falling behind."

"Welcome to the Supernatural World," Rudiger Rosenkreutz said.

"However, there's a Town that makes an exception," Zekram continued, either oblivious or uninterested in their gossip, "A town that neither belongs to the Angels nor the Devils — it's neutral and goes by the name of Kuoh Town."

Rudiger's green orbs lit up without his consent. Unpleasant memories flooded him from the depth of his mind.

He gritted his teeth and harshly shook them off.

"… What is it, Rudiger?" Bedeze caught sight of his internal fight. Even if his blue eyes appeared disinterested, there was a glint of slight interest in them, "Sound vaguely familiar to you?"

Rudiger ignored him, his full attention solely on the leaders.

"The rules are simple," The first Bael placed both hands atop the rounded table, "We mind our business and so do you. I think the roles are crystal clear."

The Angels remained quiet.

"Unfortunately — regardless of how basic the rules are written — they can be overlooked purposely by _some_ people," Zekram sighed nonchalantly. He slouched in his seat, "As if no consequences were to occur…"

Unlike the relaxed devil, Michael's posture became strained — the perfect definition of concern. "…What happened in Kuoh, Great King?"

The First Generation Bael never answered. He signaled Naberius to pick up where he left off, "A week ago, I was informed by my information network that there had been trouble between Cleria Belial and the exorcists within Kuoh Town."

"Who's Cleria?" Bedeze asked quietly.

Roygun shrugged, "Your guess is as good as mine."

Rudiger — on the other hand — had left to his own world thanks to Naberius' justification. He was never informed by this, nor had he shared to anyone about Cleria Belial's whereabouts. The Rosicrucian wasn't taken aback that Naberius had his own information network, those amongst the Top Ten even had a spare of their own — even himself — except Diehauser Belial and Tannin for vague reasons.

But he was straying for the million-dollar question. He was the Vanguard of the elder, why hadn't Naberius notified him about his attention on The Emperor's cousin?

More importantly, why was Naberius spying on Cleria?

"From what I've gathered, Cleria Belial and an exorcist going by the name of Masaomi seemed to have an… _engaging_ relationship," Naberius paused to capture any distinct movements. Unsatisfied, he dropped the bomb, "They're dating."

Roygun felt the sting and winced. "…That's _not_ good."

Michael's eyes were wide as dishes at this point, his troubled gaze traveling from Naberius to Bael repeatedly and desperately, "There… _there_ has to be a mistake here…"

Gabriel just stared, mouth slightly open.

"I'm a man who enjoys romance," Zekram inspected his nails, ignoring Michael and Gabriel's expressions. He glanced at the Archangel, "But there are limits. A romantic relationship between a _Devil_ and an _Exorcist_ is something prohibited that cannot be found by either the Underworld or any Church. We must dispose of the roots before it's too late."

Gabriel felt her heart miss a beat, "…What do you mean by ' _dispose of'_ , Great King?" She knew, but she prayed she was wrong.

"I demand the execution of Cleria Belial and Yaegaki Masaomi."

Damn it.

"W-what?!" Rudiger's outburst startled the whole room.

Zekram looked behind with a curved eyebrow, "…Well, that was _certainly_ an unexpected twist of events," He laughed — clearly unbothered — and granted Rudiger the word, "Is something wrong, seventh-ranked? I'm all ears."

"Of- _of_ course there's something wrong!" The reincarnated devil took a bold step forward, disregarding the — curious, miffed, and worried — looks of everyone, "I can't tolerate how biased this is! How come the cousin of Diehauser Belial — and the exorcist — are being sentenced to death without any proof?!"

"What the hell are you doing Rudiger…?" Elder Naberius growled behind clenched teeth, his balled fists had turned white from the pressure, "… _Stop it!"_

"We _do_ have _sufficient_ evidence to illustrate my point," The Great King countered seamlessly, "Otherwise, I wouldn't establish this gathering in the first place."

The words were like a sharp slap across Rudiger's face. His shoulders had slumped in defeat as he mumbled out a fragile, "What…?"

Zekram faced elder Naberius, "Would you kindly?"

The gaping mouth of Rudiger was visible for everyone, but no one pointed that out. Rudiger's frail eyes tracked Naberius' movements — who had fired a nasty glare at him — as the latter magically pulled out a phone and slid it to the other end of the table.

As the Archangel carefully picked up the device and watched the video alongside Gabriel, Bedeze nudged Rudiger's side — or, rather, elbowed him _hard_ , "What has gotten inside your head?!" He hissed out venomously, "You want to get in trouble? Because that's how _you_ get in trouble!"

"Don't tell me you two are _not_ against this?!" Upsetting Sorcerer snapped beneath his breath, "This is Diehauser's family we're talking about!"

"There's nothing we can do, Rudiger," Roygun wore an apological look, "We don't have any influence in Ars Goetia's politics — only in the Rating Games."

"Welcome to the Supernatural World, Rudiger," Bedeze sneered.

The Rosicrucian rubbed his chin in suspicion, "…There's something rotten in the state of Denmark."

"Besides, I thought you disliked the Belial Clan?" Bedeze quickly added, surprising Roygun.

Rudiger's eyes became half-lidded, "I never said that," He deflected the accusation without a thought, "Whom I have a dislike for is the heir of the Belial Clan — that I admit."

Bedeze hummed in understanding, "So, on the same page. Glad to hear."

"Alright, I'll bite. What's with the sudden hate?" While fumbling lazily with her pink hair, she continued. "…What am I missing?"

Bedeze's nose wrinkled, "I just despise how everyone saw him as the next Rating Game Champion and the only one capable of defeating the Emperor because he had the courage to bark at us. It takes more than making speeches in public to prove your worthiness."

"You have to start from somewhere, Bedeze," She fought back the urge to yawn loudly, "That was his first step. The boy chose the perfect moment to leave a mark on the Underworld."

"Actions speaks louder than words," The blond devil retorted, "Talk is _cheap_. Until I see him defeat at least Ruval and Tannin, then I'll swallow my words."

"You should _swallow_ your pride along the way," Roygun muttered.

"What was that?!"

"Whoops~! I said that aloud, didn't I~?"

Bedeze growled at her direction. His face steamed up when he pictured the challenging smirk covered by her palm, followed by her eyelashes fluttering.

Rudiger exhaled bitterly, "My tale differs to that of Bedeze… suffice to say I'm at fault too from what I'd done back then."

"It pains me to resort to this method," Zekram said aloud, catching the Rating Game competitors off-guard. "…My goal is to save the Devils from extinction, but if I have to sacrifice a single Devil to save the life of millions then so be it."

Before Rudiger could even come up with something, the gasp of Gabriel stopped further arguments.

The alluring green eyes of the Seraph were locked on the screen, a delicate hand covering her mouth as a memory slipped by, "…Could this be why Jeanne has been worried this whole time…?"

"… The Holy Saint?" Zekram's expression became temporally became disoriented, but his eyebrows quickly sunk skeptically, "…Why is a saint meandering _aimlessly_ on the streets of Kuoh Town?"

Michael opened his mouth to answer but quickly shut it. After a second of consideration, he took advantage of the silence and met Gabriel's vivid eyes.

They nodded mutually.

Zekram saw the visual interaction. "…It would be preferable if you two could share your concerns with us," he impatiently tapped one of his fingers on the table.

Michael finally addressed the Devils, "Great King. Let's contact the Governor-General of Grigori and cast our differences aside," He proposed confidently, "Let's make a peace treaty."

…

…

…

Naberius snorted.

Zekram's shoulders trembled as he restrained a snicker, "A peace treaty?" The elder of Bael repeated with a mix of disbelief and amusement, "A _peace treaty?_ Michael, _please!_ After millions of years, you finally decided to establish a truce with _Devils_ and _Fallen Angels_ who had been antagonized by the Church since ancient times? It's too late for that."

"It's never too late, Great King," Gabriel pressed on, "If it's a fact that a Devil and an Exorcist are dating, then what's stopping us to prove to everyone that we can coexist in harmony!"

"Just think about it, Zekram," Michael added his two cents, "Because of this, we could finally build a bridge between Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels. Just like Gabriel stated seconds ago, what's stopping us?"

The First Bael wasn't enthusiastic by the idea, not at all, "Our people."

The Archangel and Seraph exchanged frowns, waiting for Zekram to elaborate his answer.

"… Since ancient times your religion has shown humanity how to differentiate what's good and bad through the famous Bible," Zekram chuckled darkly, "Your people depicted Devils and Fallen Angels as evildoers. Why would they accept with arms wide open evil incarnate? The Church severely dislikes outsiders and heresy — remember that."

They weren't wrong — their hatred was justified. Devils are creatures that would never care about other races unless it's to recruit them within their nobility or even construct the ideal harem. Zekram wasn't unaware of how Devils had gotten a bad reputation to all mythologies and humanity through their selfish actions.

A bad name that had increased thanks to Ajuka Beelzebub and his most innovatory creation — the Evil Pieces. Stray Devils were across the world, aberrations always preying over the innocent and invading other Factions — Angels, Fallen Angels, and Youkai — to appease their endless appetite.

Thus, pushing the blame over to the Devils. Once again.

Many Pantheons even mockingly crowned Ajuka as the ruler of the Stray Devils.

Which — all jokes aside — Ajuka could be interpreted as such.

"I never wrote the Bible, Zekram," The Archangel replied through clenched teeth, "You of all people should know this."

"You had the power to prevent it. Why didn't you, Michael?"

"Angels cannot interfere in human affairs unless Father said otherwise!" Michael countered, "Before their fall from grace, the Grigori could without Father's permission."

Besides the Grigori, the only one that God of the Bible allowed contact with humanity was Gabriel — his personal messenger — but the blonde Seraph still needed the stamp of approval of her Creator if she was leaving for her own errands.

"Why are you calling God of the Bible _Father_ when you don't share _His_ genes?" Zekram ignored the painful groans of the devil side — including his.

"The same reason why you call Lilith and Lucifer mother and father respectively."

"They are _not_ my parents!" The black-haired slammed both hands on the table, "They are just my creators, same thing between you and Him!"

The atmosphere became colder as the Archangel and the Elder swapped intense glares.

Green and Purple clashing lividly for victory, neither backing down.

The guards from each side never raised their weapons or invoked spells, but their eyes honed, and postures stiffened — ready to dive in action.

"…Apologies," Zekram pulled himself together by harrumphing, "back on topic. That's one of the biggest issues why a peace treaty between us would never crop up. Your people would never accept this—neither mine. If the relationship between Cleria and Masaomi was exposed or when we announce this… _'alliance'_ you desire to make, an overthrow would most likely happen in all the Churches and in Ars Goetia. Your followers would no longer pray to Him. You know how much they could damage Heaven if they stopped praying."

Michael gritted his teeth but plucked no arguments from his mouth.

"You need us to be your villains, Michael," Zekram kept running that silver tongue of his, "For the sake of Heaven."

Gabriel rose from her seat, a frown drawn over her angelic face, "Great King, be honest with me. If there was a way to achieve it, would you embrace peace?"

"… I can't get in that head of yours, Seraph Gabriel. Why are you striving for something that we already have?" Zekram inquired with a laugh. He shook his head, grinning a little, "It doesn't make sense. The world is passing through the _greatest_ period of peace in its history, Seraph Gabriel. There has never been as much peace in the world as it exists today. Are you not satisfied with what we have? Do you want more? Beware. We don't want you to fall from grace because of greediness."

"Please, stop laughing — I'm not fooling around. This is meant to be taken seriously," Gabriel's scowl deepened, "Absolute peace, don't you wish to attain it?"

…

"…It is impossible to acquire an _'absolute peace'_ in the world because the conflict is inherited in the social system created by us which gives value to performance, merit, and excellence," Zekram carefully stood up, arms behind his back, "you can't have a society where everyone is the wealthiest, most powerful, most brilliant and most famous in the world."

"If there is differentiation, people would try to reach the top and that is bound to create some conflict in the society," Michael muttered grimly. He looked down at his palms.

However, being conflicted was good for the people and society since that was the secret ingredient that kept them alive and kicking. A noncompetitive world may become peaceful, but that peace would be the peace of the graveyard. It is not a good idea to live like a dead man before you die. The thought alone left a sour taste in Zekram's mouth.

"Correct. In truth — in this world — there is no good or evil. There's just _'what I want'_ and _'how I'll get it'_ ," Zekram slowly advanced to Michael, "If that wasn't a satisfying answer, then contemplate humanity's system. Today — on a global scale — humans divided themselves based on nationality, religions, culture, skin color, languages, caste and so on..."

Realistically speaking, what would one hope to change if they are unable or unwilling to change themselves? Rather than changing the world, they should focus on changing themselves.

Besides, Michael should attend to his Faction's internal problems. Last time Zekram had heard news of the Church, there was an enmity between Protestants and Catholics.

"…You shouldn't be afraid of the future and taking risks, Great King," Gabriel chided him as a mother would to her son, "Living inside a bubble won't do you any good. You should get rid of your comfort zone."

Zekram ignored her and stood beside the Archangel, lifting the phone from the table. After surreptitiously stealing a quick peek at the time, he pocketed the device and stretched his hand — ready for a handshake. "We wasted enough time already. Can I entrust you the future of our respective Factions?"

…

…

…

Michael shook his hand and earned a collective of gasps.

"Michael!" A wide-eyed Gabriel said breathlessly, "Jeanne won't stand up for this!"

The Archangel, with a sorrowful face, retrieved his hand, "I'll… I'll take care of this."

"H-how…?"

Silence was her answer.

* * *

Danhauser Belial woke up faster than a cat in ice-water. His blurred sight drank each furniture in his room. It was quite dark. The fact that there was no light coming from the window and his night vision was working was a nod to his previous speculations.

"It's still nighttime," The gray-haired yawned while rubbing his heavy, grey eyes, "…Why the hell did I wake up so suddenly?"

A booming laugh came downstairs and right through the walls as loud as any TV show. It was Bova Tannin, "Heh! Be careful what you say, _Siegtard_. Mess with a dragon and you'll get the horns!"

"You should be the one treading lightly," That voice belonged to Siegfried, "I have a weapon capable of making dragons hide their tails between their legs."

Danhauser groaned out, "Not these two clowns again," He placed his head under the pillow and waited for the storm to abate, trying to fall asleep once again.

"Don't give me that crap! I'm the youngest son of a Dragon King. Your cute toy doesn't scare me."

"I'm the descendant of a legendary hero that defeated the Dragon King Fafnir himself!"

"On your knees, Siegtard! Father has built more reputation than your ancestor!"

"Hahaha! It seems you're unaware that more accurate reviews have been going around in the current time! In recent years, my ancestor has been portrayed in more movies, comics, performances then your father have!"

Danhauser frowned at the sudden pause and stood up with an upset grunt. But he quickly winced when a _sharp_ slap reached his ears, "Ah, my bad," Bova growled and Danhauser pictured the dragon baring his fangs, "There was a _shitty_ bug there!"

That didn't stop him to leave his room and reach the stairs.

It was a tensed — yet peaceful — silence until the knight returned the gesture. _Hard_ , "My apologies," Siegfried sneered, "There was a _shitty_ lizard there!"

…

…

…

Bova released a war cry and lunged.

"Are you two going at it again?!" A voice with a Romanian accent snapped — it was close, "Stop! You're both too old for this! Grow up already!"

He stopped when _everyone_ was lined up on the staircase. Someone with a keen eye would notice the bags underneath their eyes.

"Seriously, this is the _third_ time we spot you two dissing one another," Danhauser rubbed one of his eyes, anyone could taste the irritation slipping from his mouth, "Now why?"

"Siegtard here got offended by my comments," The Dragon huffed, "He wanted to know if he could defeat a Dragon King."

Cleria Belial chuckled tiredly, trying to lighten the mood, "… Well, that would be _interesting_ to see."

"No, it wouldn't," Bova never backed down from Siegfried's glare, "He wouldn't stand a chance. The only thing he could defeat is a glass of warm milk — and that's stretching it."

A vein almost popped on Siegfried's forehead, "You'll make a _nice_ bag once I'm done with you."

Bova just laughed excitedly, "Ha! See, now we're having fun. Bring it."

"… What is wrong with you two?" Valerie wondered in disbelief, hands on her waist, "Unbelievable. You two are once again butting heads! What is the idea of starting a rampage and waking us up?"

"Do you idiots ever learn…?" Ikuse Tobio mumbled under his breath, eliciting a nod from his childhood friend — Toujou Sae.

Bova snarled at his direction, "Mind your business, midget."

"… Midget?" the brunet repeated venomously. His eye pulled one of the faintest twitches, "The hell are you calling midget, you overgrown dickhead?"

"Who else is the vertically challenged of the Peerage?" Bova sneered back.

"True," Siegfried agreed, relaxing a little.

"Um," Sae trailed off, shuffling awkwardly after noticing the new atmosphere, "Let's not fight please…"

"Ehehehe…" Valerie eyed the brunet with a sardonic grin hidden behind her hand, all signs of anger dismissed by teasing, "One point sixty-seven, isn't it?"

Tobio made a horrifying sound.

"Hm," Siegfried said.

"Damn you're _so_ tiny," Danhauser noted, looking at his mutated knight up and down, " I don't know why it took me so long to notice, but man — you're the _smallest_ in the Peerage."

"Ehehehe…!"

Tobio made an even more horrifying sound.

"Aha!" Siegfried said.

Danhauser encouragingly patted Tobio's shoulder, "…Chin up, at least you're tall enough to play with a yo-yo."

"Shut up!" Tobio shoved his hand away with a small blush, "S-seriously, all of you shut your mouths, a-assholes!"

Jin howled in agreement. Its appearance changed after being affected by its Balance Breaker. From an adorable puppy to that of a large hound. Its fur stayed the same pitch-black and dark gray on the tips and paws. What changed was the fierce look and its height.

From what he had seen of Canis Lykaon. He couldn't help but place the Longinus at the top of his favorite list.

Shadow Manipulation.

A scythe.

Lycanthropy.

It looked edgy.

And a loyal dog that could sprout blades from any part of its body — usually its temple — and carry them with its jaw.

What's not there to love?

The only noticeable flaw was the madness of Lycaon flowing within the Sacred Gear.

But that could be easily taken care of. If Hyoudou Issei and Vali Lucifer handled Juggernaut Drive, why couldn't Slash Dog follow a similar route?

Cleria laughed tenderly, pulling Danhauser out of his inner thoughts, "You have a lively Peerage, Danny!"

The Heir of Belial released a brisk chuckle in return, "They're a pain most of the time, but it can't be helped," He whistled, drawing the attention to himself, "Since everyone's here, why don't we eat breakfast?"

"Please," Sae agreed and rubbed her stomach, "All of a sudden my stomach started begging for a snack…"

"Mwahaha! Little did you know I'm a _master_ chef!" Cleria adopted a cocky smirk, "You speak with Cleria Belial _Remsey!"_

" _So, that's his name on this world?"_ Danhauser's eyebrow went up as he smiled, "…Really?"

"Of course! Don't you believe in your beautiful cousin's unmatchable techniques?"

"Huh-huh. Impress me, then. What's on the menu?"

Cleria fumbled with her medium length hair for a moment before averting her gaze somewhere else. Her cheeks shaded in red but still stuck her tongue out playfully.

Slash Dog rubbed the bridge of his nose with a sigh, "I can handle the cooking," He offered flatly, "I'll just need someone cutting the vegetables and all that jazz."

"I can help you!" Sae raised an arm up with a nostalgic smile, "Just like old times."

Tobio returned the smile — albeit lamely — before nodding to the rest, "In the meantime, you guys think you can set the table?"

Danhauser looked over his shoulder, "You heard the chef. Let's do our part."

They only nodded mutually.

* * *

"Why are you not coming with us, Papa?" The chestnut-haired girl asked with puffed cheeks.

On his knees, Shidou Touji chuckled at her expression, brushing her beautiful hair, "Papa has work to do. But I'll quickly come back and we'll play together like always."

Shidou Irina looked down at her shoes for a while before peeking up with her pinky stretched out, "Pinky promise?"

Touji smiled and wrapped his pinky around hers, "Pinky promise," He pulled her into a hug, "Listen to your mother and don't make a lot of noise during the flight, alright?"

"Okay…" Satisfied with her answer, he pecked her forehead and stood up, meeting the eyes of his wife.

Mrs. Shidou chuckled bitterly, "Are we going to do a pinky promise too?"

"I'll come back," He said softly, "I'll come back alive, I swear."

Mrs. Shidou reached for his hand — squeezing it, "… Just drop this. Y-You, don't have to do this…"

"I-I can't disobey orders from my higher-ups, I'm so sorry."

…

…

…

Touji watched his wife and daughter camouflaging within the crowd. He stared longingly at his lonely hand, "What's the mission, David?"

He spun and walked away, followed by the fellow exorcist.

"Search and Destroy," David Serro replied, lending Touji a folder, "Orders arranged by your Eminence Cristaldi. Once completed, we are supposed to travel to the Vatican and give our report to the Cardinal Deacon. The location is in Kuoh Town."

After bumping and apologizing to a tourist, Touji waited a brief second for the transparent doors to slid open and left the airport. Three black cars with golden crosses parked nearby were waiting for them.

He took the folder from David's grasp, "Our target is the High-Class Devil, Cleria Belial?"

It was an odd mission categorized as _confidential_ and of _utmost importance_ by Ewald Cristaldi — just proving the value of the task. But killing a high-class devil on neutral territory that hadn't done anything threatening didn't make sense on his head — yet. Whenever they had the authorization to execute a Devil affiliated with the Ars Goetia was when they were storming innocent lives or trespassing on territory possessed by the Angel Faction.

As much as he disliked Devils in general, he had to admit that Cleria wasn't as evil as he had interpreted her to be given her race and the way Yaegaki commented about her. She seemed to be a woman whom his wife would get along with just fine.

A part of him was against this, but he knew they couldn't disobey the words of Eminence Cristaldi. The consequences were huge. The Church would banish him and leave a bad reputation to his daughter who in the future was going to experiment with her first days as a novice Exorcist.

Still, he couldn't neglect how vague the explanation was and — from his perspective — full of holes.

But neither had read the folder that David gave to him — where most of the summary is.

"…And Masaomi."

Touji froze, "What?"

David lacked the courage to answer, preferring to stand quietly under the silver moon. He pursed his lips and awkwardly gestured at the folder in Touji's grip, "You should read it."

Pulling out of his shock, Touji rapidly got inside the car — followed by David — and ignored the vehicle's engine turning over. He opened the folder and began reading, eyes glued on the pages. "…How did they know?"

Weeks back after the aftermath of the Fallen Angel Satanael, Touji had a reunion with his colleagues. That day where Yaegaki Masaomi had dropped the bomb by confessing his feelings of Cleria to them.

He was horrified. He knew if rumors of Masaomi's affection over the gray-haired Devil slipped out, it would force the Church Headquarters to take matters in their own hands.

No one liked when the Church made their move.

No one.

Hence he never wrote that part on his report. For the sake of protecting one of his teammates and not conjuring the wrath of the higher-ups. Even refusing to pray to repent from his sins—scared that the Angels could find out about this throughout his atonement.

Unfortunately, they were caught red-handed.

And now, they're paying the consequences.

"There's a mistake here…" Touji croaked as the car drove them away from the airport, chased by the two cars sharing the same design. He pointed on a specific part, "Masaomi and Cleria aren't dating."

While he was desperately finding excuses to save the neck of his ally, it was true. There was a difference between an ongoing relationship and a one-sided love. Masaomi received the latter's treatment after being exposed by Cleria's cousin — Danhauser Belial.

If it wasn't for the Heir of Belial intervening further development between those two, their relationship would evolve into something else.

A forbidden romance similar to Romeo and Juliet. Powerful enough to shake Heaven and the Underworld in a bad way.

"Perhaps they were," David replied, not even glancing at the sheets, "… From my understanding, they're trying to hide all the evidence by silencing them."

Touji wore a doubtful expression, "We're also familiar with the connection of those two. Someone from our inner circle could spread the word easily."

"For that exact reason, they're ordering us to end Masaomi," David faced Touji with a stern look, "This is also a warning for us if we opened our mouths."

Touji felt a chill ran down his spine.

"Blah! Who gives two shits about him?!" They looked up at the seat meant for the co-pilot. It was Freed Sellzen cleaning one of his guns and carrying a suitcase atop his thighs, "The fuck boy tried jumping on the panties of a shitty devil! Fine by me if we have to waste magazines on his corpse!"

The only answer he'd received were the glares from everyone.

"You know what they say!" Freed took aim and feigned firing his gun multiple times at the windshield, "You mess with the Pope, you get the no scope! Pew! _Pew!_ Pew! _"_

"Be silent and give me the suitcase," David snapped.

Freed rolled his eyes and nonchalantly tossed the suitcase to his teacher, "Whatever."

The Galatine user caught it and lended it to Touji, "A gift from the Vatican. They thought you would need it."

Touji stared at the suitcase — the kind that came from an uptown elegant store designed with expensive materials. It had a Bible's verse in italics and the letters were bathed in gold.

He could feel holiness and warmness radiating within it, whispering his name.

Curiosity getting better of him, he carefully unlocked it and peeked what was inside.

"Hauteclere," Touji gasped in awe, carefully passing his digits over the hilt.

"What are your orders, Touji?" David ignored his student's maniac tittering, "Eminence Cristaldi chose you to lead this mission. We should take advantage that it's still quite dark and — most likely — everyone's asleep," He paused, hesitant, "Do you prefer to go after Masaomi first to make it as fast as possible?"

Touji felt the need to move almost without end. If his limbs were moving the anxiety was gone, or at least he could tame it by keeping his eyes fixed on the holy sword — Hauteclere.

The conflict was that Masaomi was by no means in need to get forty winks. He was keeping a watchful eye over Saint Jeanne just for safe measure. An idea implemented by David, after knowing small bits of their mission it was likely that the blonde would be against it.

Knowing her personality, she won't abide by the execution of Masaomi. A gesture that Touji deep inside appreciated.

Neither would she permit the death of Cleria.

But the Holy Saint was fast asleep. If she was awake, Masaomi would inform him with a simple call. So they had time to finish the mission as quickly as possible.

He met the driver's eyes from the rearview mirror, "Go straight to Cleria's house," Touji ordered to the driver, "Just like David had said, everyone's getting some shut eye. Let's not miss the opportunity."

"Understood."

He ignored the look that David was firing him. He closed the suitcase and pushed it aside, pulling out his cell phone, "I'll take care of Masaomi," Touji grumbled, searching endlessly throughout his contacts.

Just imagining her expression and killing his youngest colleague brought a burden to his heart.

But orders are orders.

* * *

"Where are they, Masaomi?" Jeanne asked while circling the main room for the fifth time. Her eyes sharply steered on the figure blocking the exit. "They're already late."

It took a few days for Jeanne, David Serro, and Freed Sellzen to return to Shidou Touji's house once things had settled down — even if for a tiny bit. She still had a grudge for Touji's actions.

Days later, they had left while she was asleep.

Before they could take their leave, their voices had wakened her up quick enough to spy on their almost finished conversation from upstairs. Obviously missing important hints.

Curiously enough, Touji Shidou's family had also been present in the meeting.

Now, she wouldn't mind if Touji was spending time alone with his family. With all this commotion, he needed something to distract himself from the issues involving Kuoh Town.

While she would disagree going outside in the dark morning, every human being has their own likes and dislikes. Plus, Touji was skilled enough to defend his family if the situation called it.

But why would he need his colleagues if he wanted to be alone with his family?

And why were his wife and daughter carrying luggage?

No one had cautioned her of this turn of events, not even leaving a note on the door of her room before departing. She had ventured downstairs in search of answers after they took their leave. To her surprise, a shocked Yaegaki Masaomi quickly stood between the exit and herself.

That alone raised more suspicious questions.

"I… I wish to know, too," Masaomi answered with doubt, "Touji told me it was important for you to stay here. For your safety, Saint Jeanne."

Her brows furrowed, "Safety?" She wore a puzzled look, "Safe from what?"

Masaomi dubiously shrugged.

"We're both left out it seems," She rubbed her temple to cool her nerves, "That's it! I'm going to go after him and make him spit some answers!"

"You can't leave!" Masaomi blocked the exit, "Orders from Touji!"

"He's not telling us something, Masaomi!" Jeanne was not far from yanking her hair out. "Don't you want to find out?"

"L-let just keep waiting until they come back," Masaomi advised nervously, "L-listen, I have an idea. Let's take a _deep_ breath. Sit on the sofa and when he comes back, we're going to bombard him with too many questions until we make him — what the hell are you doing?!" He watched in horror as the saint aimed at a nearby window with her forged weapon, "Wait! Stop!"

It was too late. His widened eyes followed the sword flying like throwing knives, the sound of shattering glass made him looked away with a cringe.

Slowly, he turned his head around and gasped at the results. The smashed glass that was once a window laid on the living room floor like a thousand tiny daggers, the light from the sun violently shining off them.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" He shouted at the blonde who stomped her way over the shards, "Are you mad?!"

"Grrr!" Jeanne growled while hopping over the demolished window, "If you wanna sit your ass down here then fine — be my guest! Imma find Touji and show him a new meaning of 'Bible-thumping'!"

Sometimes, he pondered _how_ she was sanctified.

"If you wanted to leave so _badly_ you could have used the backyard door!" Masaomi snapped out, "But shatter a window?! That's an act of straight up _vandalism_ , _Saint_ Jeanne!"

"Shove it and quit being a busta!"

He never had the chance to retaliate back when his pocket vibrated. He fished out his phone and answered, "Ah, Touji! I was—!" He was cut off by his boss' sharp tone.

She only heard babbling from her spot, but given Masaomi's eyes widening in panic, the message wasn't as pleasant as they had thought it would be, "…W-what!? Touji, please w-wait!"

…

"What happened?" Jeanne demanded after the conversation ended, slowly climbing back inside.

"…"

"Masaomi. Tell me what — !"

"Banished," The black-haired repeated Touji's words, eyes glued on his phone's screen, "They banished me from the Church," He chuckled humorlessly before dropped on the couch., "He ordered me to abandon Kuoh Town as well. It was because of my feelings for Cleria…?"

Blown away by his words, she never responded. She carefully grabbed his phone and tried to contact Touji — failing miserably. "Damn it," She cursed, lending the phone back to its owner, "He's not answering."

…

…

…

"Something's _definitely_ fishy," Jeanne clicked her tongue and massaged her scalp in deep concentration, "What the heck are you scheming, Touji?"

"Why'd he ordered me to keep an eye on you anyway?" Masaomi laughed faintly, "You're strong enough to handle yourself. Even Touji praised your skills. It just doesn't make sense."

"Not like there were Stray Devils in Kuoh Town, to begin with," Jeanne agreed — eyes shut.

"Only that Devil that has the hair color just like Cleria is dangerous," Masaomi continued, biting his lip, "And maybe Cleria…No, she wouldn't."

Her eyes shot open in realization, "Unless…" She gasped and pulled Masaomi from his seat, "Quick! We have to move before it's too late!"

"Wait!" he retrieved his limb back, massaging his crushed wrist, "W-what's happening?!"

"T-Touji! He's after them!" She flailed her arm, "They're after Cleria and Dan!"

Words left him. He stared into her bright eyes trembling with anxiousness. He regained consciousness. "…Cleria? How do you…?"

"Because they don't want me to intervene!" She once again grabbed his wrist and went after the exit, twisting the knob, "We have to get going!"

"B-but…"

She stopped to squeeze Masaomi's wrist softly, "I need your help, Masaomi," She begged, her eyes desperate, "Only you and I can put some sense inside his head. No one has to die."

…

…

…

With closed eyes, he inhaled and exhaled, listening to his heart slowly flowing back to normal. He opened his eyes and nodded with determination, "Lead the way, Saint Jeanne."

They immediately ran down the sidewalk.

"We cannot go back," The saint's speed never faltered when her pleading gaze searched into the sky, "Lord grant that Touji was wrong."

* * *

Danhauser Belial let out a strangled scream and clenched on his burning arm. The agony persisted enough for him to drop the spoon.

A pair of pale hands rested atop his arm and the ache slowly shrunk by her healing techniques.

"W-what happened?!" Danhauser perked up when his cousin asked with an alarmed tone, just to be met with multiple eyes fixated on him.

"One of my magic seals activated," He gave a grateful nod at his pawn, "Hence the sudden spams."

Before ending his alliance with Jeanne he had planted multiple magic circles on the routes that were nearby to Cleria's house. Their purpose was to spot either Satanael or Walburga and alerted him.

Which they didn't, as expected.

"T-they can only be triggered when holy power is nearby and..." Danhauser hesitated to finish his sentence, "They're coming."

Silence.

"This is it," Valerie Tepes breathed out, breaking the silence and worsening the situation.

"The fight that decides our fate," Bova Tannin slowly grew half of his original size, "Alright! Let's make it count!"

Ikuse Tobio finally shrugged off his trance. He stood up from his chair and grabbed Toujou Sae's hand, "Breakfast's over. You gotta go!"

"W-what about you?" Sae asked while getting pulled by the brunet.

Tobio forced a smile, "I-I need to stay," He thumbed at his king, "I want to leave _so_ badly, but it wouldn't be fair after the stuff I've pulled on him and the team weeks ago. Plus, they're helping us out with the Utsusemi crap. It's time to show my gratitude, I guess."

Sae was awestruck, "Like hell, you will! I will not leave you here!"

"Not the right _time_ , Sae!"

"Master!" Siegfried called out, ignoring their dispute, "What's the plan?!"

There was a time that his thoughts became tormentors. Today, it wasn't an exception. But then he realized that if he never "replied," if he let them float by like a call unanswered, then it would put everyone in the same level of anxiousness as he's passing through. Or worse.

"Master?!"

He had a plan in mind. But he was afraid of voicing it aloud. Totally inhumane in the eyes of others and even himself.

Three simple steps.

Return to the Underworld with his Peerage.

Sacrifice Cleria Belial.

Act as if nothing happened.

Fortunately or unfortunately. It was easier said than done. There was _someone_ stopping him from going to that direction.

That, someone, was Cleria herself.

Danhauser slowly turned to his cousin, the world suddenly tuning deaf in his ears. His throat dried out when he drank the state she was currently in.

Cleria was sweating in fear — frozen like a statue. She knew the exorcists were coming after her neck.

After meeting the eyes of Danhauser, she controlled her breath and forced a grin, "Welp!" She feigned a laugh, "I-I think it's better if you guys go back to the Underworld…! I'll take it from here…"

On the verge of tears.

Her fate set in stone.

His feet were in agreement to Cleria's statement. Of course, they wanted to run away, of course, they do.

"… No, I won't," Danhauser gulped, slowly standing up, "I'll distract Touji."

Yet instead, Danhauser chose to ignore them.

"Y-You're going after them with your Peerage?" Cleria questioned, tensed.

A part of her was frightened. Then again, Danhauser and his Peerage fought against a Cadre and survived to tell the story. But she couldn't help but worry over him, mostly when she's part of the issue. Even if he'd turned sixteen a month ago, he was still _too_ young to stick his nose in this kind of stuff.

Her heart missed a beat after Danhauser shook his head, "I'm going alone."

The stare of terror that Cleria fired at him made him uncomfortable, but he never shied away from it, "N-no y-you can't…!"

"What?!" Bova growled, "Like hell! I won't let you have all the fun for yourself!"

"That's what worries you?!" Tobio snapped.

"Yes."

Valerie glared pointedly at Danhauser, "Absolutely not!" She firmly declined, "It's dangerous. They have a holy sword user on their ranks _and_ that saint, it's impossible that you're capable of rendering Galatine worthless."

Danhauser glanced down at his hand, stretching his fingers. She thought he couldn't, yet she forgot the card under his sleeve, "I'll use True Form.".

Even if he had the power to defy logic for the briefest second, the pawn never conceded. "… You _won't_ go alone," Valerie persisted, "It's not the time to play the hero, Danhauser!"

Danhauser felt his eyebrow twitch, "Touji's coming after Cleria and unfortunately, they're driving here at an amazing speed — _fast_ ," He explained, "However, their target is my cousin, not us. He can't touch us unless he wants to trigger a war. But we can't touch them either."

"… Is Ars Goetia behind this?" Cleria whispered, "How…? I can understand the Chuch, but how did they find out?"

"Satanael," A vein popped from Tobio's temple, "It has to be him — I can smell his ass all over this!"

"It could be or it couldn't be," Siegfried half-agreed half-disagreed, "Though, they would kill him without giving him a chance to speak."

"We're straying from the subject," Danhauser faced his anxious cousin, "I'm just going to distract them while you contact someone from our Clan."

Cleria never replied.

Bova scowled at his King, "But why do we have to stay here, anyway?"

"In case if they go after another route, you guys are going to remain here to defend Cleria and Sae," Chances of the exorcists taking a different route weren't high. But in times of life and death, Danhauser couldn't just risk it, "I trust all of you to protect them."

Jin howled, nodding fiercely.

"F-fine, go," The guilt sat not on Cleria's chest but inside her brain. What she had done she could not undo. How much she wished that Danhauser would just teleport away to the Underworld, but he was as stubborn as the will of kings.

The Dhampir realized how no one opposed anymore, "For real?" Danhauser wasn't the typical high-class devil, not at all. He had impressed her multiple occasions. But she still couldn't relate to his actions. She wouldn't protect her family. Never, "Are we seriously going to stay behind while you expose yourself to danger?"

"He faced a black lion, a powerful stray magician and all of you survived against a Cadre," Cleria knew there was more to come. She was stupid of not seeing it right now. Danhauser and his Peerage are now chained in this dark side of the world, "… I bet there were more fights before and more are about to come after this. But the point is that Danny can handle a bunch of exorcists. I trust his talent."

Regardless of the situation, Danhauser couldn't help but stop to wink in her direction, "Thanks, cousin."

Cleria winked back and kept making contact to her House — Belial Clan. She hurriedly gestured with her free hand to the exit, "Go before I change my mind."

Danhauser rushed at the door and gripped the doorknob. He spared a side-glance behind his shoulder, focused on his peerage, "I'll make it quick."

If Valerie couldn't change Danhauser's mind then she could persuade the dawn not to come. Speaking with him was so pointless right now, "You better."

He slammed the door shut.

* * *

Danhauser Belial continued flying in the night sky. His temple damped in cold sweat and his breath rapid and shallowed while his eyes probed the streets below him. He tensed every time he saw a car cruising down the streets.

His heart rate relaxed after being proven wrong. Soaring under the clouds gave him a huge advantage of camouflage and a better grasp of his surroundings, especially when he had enhanced and night vision.

He had plenty of time to think as he hovered above the town in search of Shidou Touji. Even if his brain was pounding for lack of oxygen thanks to the elevated height Danhauser chose to glide around. With all-time to spare, his mind went to pilot mode and leisurely questioned how much he'd changed.

It all started by drowning after slipping out from his friend's yacht without a lifejacket. He never had the chance to yell for help nor wave his arms. He just dipped beneath the waves with salt water in his lungs and everything became black for a second. Then, he awakened in a new universe, inside a coffin while wearing gallant clothes and a new body. Without bidding goodbye to his real mother.

After that, it all started with turmoil and horror and — since then — things went downhill pretty fast. It was one thing after another. From learning, training and building friendships to surviving, fighting and making new enemies. Not even a year had passed before the shit hit the fan.

It was thanks to this upgraded body that he had narrowly dodged bullets so many times. That and his immense physical and magical training that had earned him the epithet of 'training maniac', which he was certain he owned to his new family. He was in a debt to them—without the training schedule that his Clan had made for him, he would be dead in his first fight.

However, the benefit of a greater body came with a huge price — his innermost self. Being able to execute Worthlessness, Pitch Resin and somewhat his True Form were considered logically impossible in the world he'd lived in. Those abilities made him uncertain he was still the young adult that was studying in college and had died drowned because he never learned how to swim.

And here he was, not even a year later and he was impeding the Underworld and Heaven to take the life of a two-dimensional anime character that was supposed to be his cousin.

Seriously, what had he become?

Danhauser's shoulders jolted when the horn of a car stopped him from daydreaming. He glanced around, confused that a black vehicle was inches away from him and houses protected by fences were nearby.

Minutes ago he was flying.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he never noticed when he'd touched land.

His eyes fixated on the car again when the driver started smashing the horn repeatedly. Slowly frowning as he'd spotted the two cars behind the first one, all of them with the same design and the golden crosses.

He found his target.

"I know you're there, Touji," Danhauser tapped his shoe on the floor, impeding them from moving forward, "Let's chat for a bit."

The driver just pressed the horn in a hurry.

Danhauser in response placed a hand on the car's hood, mentally smirking as the vehicle suddenly shut off, "Now we can talk. Get out."

It was in that moment of absolute stillness that God tipped the balance to Danhauser. The wind died, the leaves ceased to rustle, even the chirps of birds were absent. In those frozen seconds, he could see doors swiftly opening right between his eyes, figures wearing priest clothes leaving their rides, such as David Serro and Freed Sellzen.

"What are you doing here?" One of them being Touji.

Yaegaki Masaomi and Jeanne weren't present — he noted.

" _So he went after him first? What about Jeanne?"_ Danhauser mouth formed a rigid grimace. He stood tall from his spot and glared one another in the dark morning, "You know why I'm here."

Touji's colleagues step up — weapons raised — but he stopped them with a raised palm. "Save yourselves the hurt." He confronted Danhauser, "Remember why we're here — let me handle this."

"You don't have to do this," Danhauser talked loud and clear. He cleaned the cold sweat glistened on his furrowed brow.

"I have to. Orders from the higher-ups," There was hostility in Touji's response, lacking warmness as he addressed the gray-haired devil.

Adrenaline coursed through Danhauser's system as a fight or flight instinct. In this case, it was buying some time for Diehauser Belial to appeared on the picture _or_ convince Touji's group to walk away — very unlikely.

"This has nothing to do with you. Don't make things worse," Touji brought back Danhauser to the conversation through persuasion.

Danhauser grunted, "Don't you think that mission of yours is unfair? That this whole drama is full of holes? At least they should listen to what Cleria or Masaomi has to say first."

"Flawed or not, my job is to obey the higher-ups — not judge them," Touji stated, "Or what do you want me to do? Disobey orders and get expelled?"

"Just because the Vatican could excommunicate you doesn't mean you are prohibited to pray," Danhauser pointed out, "An illegal Exorcist can have as much faith as a legal one — probably even more."

"I'm from the Protestant Church," Touji corrected him, "Perhaps you're right. But it would put my daughter — whose dream is to become like her papa — in a bad spot if I were to rebel against the Church," His gaze hardened while he opened the door of his car, ready to get inside, "Don't think I'm unaware of how you're stalling. Talk's over. Now move."

"Or get shot~!" Freed sang.

Danhauser folded his arms, "No."

Touji's veins popped up, "Fine. Have it your way."

Danhauser lifted an arm, ready to summon magic circles around them — but stopped. He felt two presences by nearby with his Senjutsu. He glanced to the side just in time to spot two familiar figures nearing with inhuman speed.

"Jeanne?" his eyes were wide as dishes. The girl who he had ended a truce with was here. She stood in front of Danhauser with arms wide open and a cold gaze that didn't suit her face.

"Masaomi?" Touji's expression wasn't different from Danhauser. He shook his surprise and spat out, "What are you doing here you idiot?! I told you to leave!"

Masaomi flinched, "Touji. Y-you have to listen to Saint Jeanne, _please_."

"Just leave already!"

"… _That means that Masaomi wasn't going to get killed in the first place? Is it Touji's doing or…"_ Danhauser felt his throat sewing up. He clenched his fists and glared to the skies — Heaven. _"Or maybe someone else. Then it means that Masaomi is forgiven but Cleria isn't? What the hell, Michael? Zekram?"_

He wished he was wrong.

"Who ordered you to do this?" Jeanne demanded.

"I don't answer to you, Saint Jeanne. Not anymore," Touji moved away from the car, "You have been avoiding your role as a saint for too long. You were supposed to inspire children by guiding them on the good path — not go around the world to shake hands with other Factions!"

Freed groaned. "Can we get to the fun part?" He whined, twirling his gun, "Like, shoot stuff?"

"Silence," David hushed him.

"… It was Ewald, wasn't it?" Of the three Cardinals, Ewald always clashed with Jeanne's ideals of forming connections with the 'heretic' creatures, "Let me talk to him."

Touji was about to decline, but a hand over his shoulder made him swallow his words, "Let's just do it," It was David, "If you refuse, we would be wasting our time convincing them to move out of the way. Maybe Eminence Cristaldi could tell us what to do next."

"… Fine," Touji pulled out his phone, "Keep an eye over them, David."

"Of course."

Jeanne brought a hand to her chest, sighing with relief. She turned and smiled, "I almost didn't make it! Don't worry, I'll make sure everything goes back to normal."

Danhauser still had immense shock written all over his face, massaging his eyes as he awkwardly chuckled, "Yeah, thanks for the hand..."

Her smile became sad, "After this… I'll leave Kuoh Town," Ewald and Touji weren't wrong — she'd been avoiding her role as a saint, "The orphaned children within the church facilities need of my assistance more than ever."

"It would be for the best," Masaomi agreed, eyes trained over the exorcists, "… Pretty sure Touji will too. I'll also take my leave, I still don't know where to go, though."

"Chin up, Masaomi! I'll fight with tooth and nail to make sure you're once again affiliated to us!"

The black-haired man smiled in appreciation.

Danhauser pursed his lips, scratching his cheek, "Hey, Jeanne. I'm sorry for what happened back then," He apologized, averting his gaze, "I still don't regret breaking our truce.… but I admit I could have said it with less… you know."

"Less dickish?"

Danhauser laughed softly, "Yeah. Less dickish."

"Your Eminence Cristaldi," the hum of Touji paused their conversation, "Saint Jeanne and a Devil are blocking our path. We cannot move further. Saint Jeanne also wishes a word with you. Please advise."

"Apology accepted by the way!" Jeanne beamed at Danhauser, resuming their chit-chat, "I'm also sorry for screwing up here in Kuoh."

He patted her shoulder with a smile, "Apology accepted."

"Now if you excuse me..." she cracked her fingers with a confident smirk, "Imma get in a _looong_ fight with Ewald on the phone!"

"Y-your Eminence! It's Saint Jeanne we just can't—!" Touji's expression brimming with horror made Danhauser eyed him suspiciously, "Listen! B-but…! I-I… I understand."

Touji quietly hung the call. He quietly nodded at David's holster.

The fellow exorcist returned the gesture, albeit joylessly.

"Hey! I told you I wanted to talk with…" Jeanne stopped after Masaomi placed a hand on her shoulder. She tilted her head, "What's wrong?"

"…"

"Masaomi?"

"Fire."

A gunshot cracked into the air.

Followed by another.

And another.

And another.

And many more.

But none reached their targets. A large barrier made of multiple grey seals impeded the passage.

"Fucking hell! That was a close one!" Danhauser cursed while keeping his defensive spells active. With all the demonic power he had in his system, he'd gathered all of it on his free arm.

He nodded at Masaomi and Jeanne, "Hope you two don't mind floating around!"

David and Touji quickly unsheathed their swords and charged.

"Just warn us before—!" Masaomi yelped when his feet left the ground, followed by Jeanne, Danhauser and Touji's group. He desperately tried to stay composed — almost colliding with someone. His eyes widened further when the cars were also affected, "What the fu—!"

A worthless explosion consumed everyone.

* * *

Finally, everyone landed on the floor.

"Not this shit again…!" Freed Sellzen groaned out, face first on the floor. He tried to reach for his guns, but a limb of resin stole his equipment and tossed them away.

Freed felt veins popping out and looked up, eyes burning with hatred, "You _fucking_ piece of — oh shit."

He stopped his tongue from further insults. His eyes grew wide when _twenty_ magic circles surrounded them — ready to pulverize them.

Behind Danhauser, weapons were scattered.

To their surprise, a _worthless_ Galatine and a _worthless_ Hauteclere were also in the pile.

"It's over Touji," Danhauser breathlessly said, wincing whenever his damaged arm pulsed, "We both knew this would end up in my favor."

"…" Touji blankly watched the Belial logo printed on the back of his palm as it slowly withered.

"W-what…?" Jeanne was on her knees, looking at the scene before her with vacant eyes, "Why… shoot me?"

"…" The Devil ignored her, his sight parked on the group of weaponless exorcists. Some were sitting on the ground hopelessly while others were carefully hoisting up — hands up in surrender.

A hopeless laugh caught his attention. He searched for the source, spotting Touji still on the ground with his head cocked back, "From the beginning, this was a futile mission, right?" He asked, even if he knew full well the answer to his question. He met the grey orbs of Danhauser, "So, what's your next move — Devil of the House of Belial?"

"Easy. Wait for someone from my family to teleport here," Danhauser responded, keeping his magic circles steady with his remaining arm, "I'm not a murderer. Killing any of you would probably trigger a war."

Seconds of hesitation slipped away, enough for Touji to hung his head low. Danhauser noticed his mouth opening, ready to speak — but quickly zipped it.

…

…

…

"You-you did it…" He heard Masaomi breathing out. He answered in behalf of Touji. "This battle, you won it. Kuoh is all yours now."

For an odd reason, Danhauser never found his words reassuring. They lacked warmness. They were empty. He didn't feel the relief soothing his heart.

Danhauser tiredly dropped down, waiting for a member of his Household to appear.

After minutes of agonizing silence, Danhauser found in the sky the sun slowly rising. He parted his gaze away after being stung by its rays.

Now he understood why Japan was nicknamed as the Land of the Rising Sun.

He laughed to himself, "So convenient. What a fucking cliché,"

* * *

The guard kicked off his shoes and glared at the monitors. Twenty screens of black and white more boring than watching the paint dry. Twelve hours a day, five days a week, for _three_ years and _four_ months, the grass had swayed and the cat had come and gone from the same trashcan. His belly had grown over his shiny buckle and his brain found new ways to stay alive. Though his eyes stayed on the screens, he was shut down almost like sleeping — a wide-awake coma until the end of his shift. The only change that ever happened was the emptying of food containers.

Today was an exception.

One of the monitors caught a mysterious figure landing with their _ten feathery_ wings still exposed to the world. The silhouette slowly hoisted himself up and dusted his attire from all of the dirt he caught during his travel. He lifted his head and eye contact with the camera — the watchman.

The guard never had the honor to slam his fist over the panic button, allured away from the red button by a knock that came on his door, followed by an explosion of purple flames that devoured the whole room.

Moments later, the smoke dispersed through magic and a girl with short hair adorned by multiple ribbons floated inside.

Her eyes warily trailed around the place and hummed in acceptance. She conjured a magic circle close to her ear, "Done."

 **[Good!]** The voice from the other end answered back, **[Hey, the monitors are still working, right?]**

"Some of them," The girl replied, moving closer to them and looking at his boss blowing a kiss at the camera. She slid her hand over the screen, pushing some ashes away, "What's next on the list?"

Walburga jolted when she felt a pair of hands playfully massaging her shoulders, "Now we make the second child of the Grilled Chicken Faction cooperate with us! Or sew up his ass until he can no longer lay eggs~!"

"Or eat-eat him! Guhehehe!"

Walburga — somehow — escaped from his grip and turned around with a glare — accidentally ending the call, "You two already found him?"

The son of the Morning Star — Rizevim Livan Lucifer — clapped twice, " _Duh!_ He's all tied up and ready to spill the beans! The only problem we had were the worthless cannon fodders sticking their noses where they're not wanted," He shrugged. "Meh. Niðhöggr munched all those faceless non-heroes just like Papa ate Mummy out."

Walburga's face wrinkled with disgust.

"Guhehe!" Niðhöggr stained the floor below him with drool.

Rizevim once again clapped twice, "Okey dokey~! Let's prepare everything for the main show~!"

"Wait a moment," Walburga called out "Why attack the Phenex State? I expected you to aim for the Bael Territory or even the Capital of Ars Goetia — Lilith. Heck, we're not even close to the main castle of Phenex!"

"Ah! _Ah!_ Ah!" Rizevim wiggled his finger, "Not telling! You'll have to wait like everyone else!"

Walburga clicked her tongue and followed. She wished to make the Super Devil spit more information. Then again, Satanael had warned her of not pushing the subject too much. Rizevim was missing too many screws and the spare he still had attached to his head were loose already.

A wrong move and Incinerate Anthem would be in search of another user. It was better if she zipped her mouth shut and watched what the Transcendent Devil had in mind.

"Catch!" She barely caught the gas mask, "Things are 'bout to get naughty!"

Walburga immediately wore it.

"Niðhöggr! Make this place into a gas chamber!"

The Evil Dragon grinned and blew his trademark ability to the air.

* * *

 **Because how long the chapter was, I had to cut it off. So, Chapter 30 will be the chapter where canon beings. Apologies.**

 **Also: Happy late Halloween, Dia de Muertos, Holidays, Christmas, etc.**

* * *

 **Final Chapter: The End and the Beggining**


	29. The End and the Beginning

**Final Chapter: The End and the Beginning**

* * *

It's not predictable anger or pain that's the worst, it's the "random," stuff he knew is coming, just never when. The random work on the mind was torture, elevating primal fear, decreasing logic and self-control. Danhauser Belial had a spoonful of this spinning around his world.

His family was also infected by the same symptom.

When he'd finished his one-sided fight against Shidou Touji minutes later his older brother — Diehauser Belial — showed up in the picture.

The Champion wasn't pleased by the news that Cleria Belial had shared with him, but he never asked for a minute of privacy to speak with Touji not even threatening him for attempting murder against his family. He merely grabbed Danhauser by the shoulder and took him back to the Underworld.

Jeanne and Yaegaki Masaomi were alone with the group of exorcists, but Diehauser didn't care what happened to them. Family comes first.

When he'd returned to the Belial State with his Peerage, cousin and brother. His mother had pulled him and Cleria into a bear hug, but what caught him off-guard was that his uncle, father, _and Mephisto Pheles_ were in the main room. Mephisto had demanded him the full story right off the bat. He wasn't a Devil who liked to beat around the bush.

A "get to the fucking point guy" as stated by his father — Matanbuchus Belial.

His Peerage was patrolling the Belial Territory with Gilles de Rais taking the lead, an idea implemented by Mephisto himself. The heterochromatic Devil knew that Zekram Bael was making his way to the Belial Territory to finish what he'd started.

"That's pretty much it," Danhauser breathed out, his father squishing his shoulders with comfort, "Yeah. That's the whole story."

His uncle — Malacoda Malebranche — wiggled his eyebrows at Mephisto. "Think you can take care Zekky by yourself?"

"Maybe," Mephisto surly replied, "I know that assface like the cheek of my butt. But if he's going to bring one of the Four Great Satan as his meat shield… they're way above me."

"I can handle them," Malacoda gave a thumbs-up, "Serafall and Falbium aren't an issue… Ajuka and Sirzechs… I'll need my True Form to last for at least fifty seconds if they don't take me seriously."

Matanbuchus scowled at his brother-in-law, "Are you crazy?" He asked, shaking his head, "Don't answer that. But are you seriously going to fight against the Maou?"

"Fuck yeah I am!" Malacoda boasted, pounding his chest, "A Malebranche doesn't hide with their tail between their legs!"

"They're going to turn you into their sex toy, Coda," Mephisto sided with Matanbuchus, "I'm gonna put some sense inside Zekram's head and convince him to drop this bullshit."

"What if it doesn't work out?" Calcabrina Belial asked, worried, "Are we going to fight?"

Mephisto wore a straight face, nodding at Cleria, "Then we're sticking to Plan B. You know what that means, right?"

"G-give myself to the government," She gulped, "Y-yes. Got it."

Mephisto's heterochromatic eyes fell like an act of violence — a glare to disturb anyone's heart, "All of you get why we have to use this backup plan if everything is screwed, right?"

Danhauser fingers were jumping rhythmically — as if in spasm. His family was doing great masking their expressions, but they were also feeling the goosebumps over their skin.

Nonetheless, they rigidly nodded.

Everyone stopped. Pulsing from the floor was a strange, bright magic circle. It flickered as a familiar French Butler slowly materialized, "Bad news," It was only Gilles. Danhauser's Peerage probably in a safer place. He also had Gram attached on his back, "The Great King and Elder Naberius are coming. Lucifer, Beelzebub, Bedeze, Roygun, and that clown Rudiger are acting as vanguards."

Silence.

Malacoda ended the silence by clicking his tongue, "Fuck me. They're coming at us _hard_ ," He softly smacked Diehauser's shoulder, "Hey, Big D. We need calvary — think Ruval is up to it?"

The Champion passed a hand through his gray hair in desperation, "I don't want to involve him into this. He has _nothing_ to do with our problems."

"Yikes. Guess I'm gonna call the whole Malebranche Clan. Dunno if they're going to be here just in time."

"I could call them while you distract them," Matanbuchus offered, "… While Barbariccia hates my guts, I think he wouldn't mind helping us out."

"Yeah, especially when my little brother hates the actual Maous," Malacoda heaved a sigh, "… He always preferred the Old Maou."

Mephisto shaped a magic circle next to his ear, "Tannin, get your ass on Diehauser's territory. We got trouble."

Diehauser was rendered speechless. He had a sort of hen-pecked look, "Why are you…?"

"Zekram fought in the Great War," Mephisto explained, "He was there when his own race died one after another — almost on the brink of extinction. I still remember the face he'd made when the children of the Maou still persisted continuing the Great War."

Matanbuchus snapped his fingers in understanding, "Like Sirzechs, he wants to avoid anything that could trigger a conflict."

"Bingo," Mephisto grunted.

"Damn," Malacoda whistled, "You weren't joking. You _really_ know Zekky like the palm of your hand!"

"But why bring the two strongest Devils and those amongst the Top Ten?" Calcabrina asked, meeting the gaze of her oldest child, "… Is he trying to scare us?"

Diehauser nodded, "Yes, mother. He's pressuring us so we can give Cleria as soon as possible."

"And chop her head off," Mephisto finished.

Cleria felt a shiver run down on her spine, "Okaaaay. That was _a little_ unnecessary..."

Diehauser turned to everyone, "Plan C. We'll fight fire with fire. "

"B-but what if they don't show hesitation?" Cleria mumbled quietly, "What if they strike back?"

"Then I'll step up," Danhauser's eyes flew open as the row of heads turned to face him. He awkwardly massaged his neck, "… I think I know why the Elders want to erase Cleria off the map."

Zekram planned all this because he was trying to maintain the status quo that both sides did not want to disturb. In truth, this turned out to be a cover story made by the elders because Cleria learned about the King piece and how they were using it to corrupt the Rating Games from the shadows.

But that was in the Light Novels — it was _canon_. Danhauser doesn't know if _this_ Cleria knew about the King Piece. Sure, there were many that knew about its existence, but all of them considered the subject as an urban legend and no one brought it up since then — except the reporters that failed to call out why Diehauser had such immense power and a perfect streak of victories in the Rating Games.

Cleria never backed down, she'd fought to find any evidence of its existence and perhaps to clean the name of Diehauser. Danhauser didn't remember too much, but last time he'd read the Light Novels he'd believed that Cleria found out that Ajuka Beelzebub had a hideout somewhere in Japan. It had something to do with the Rating Games — Danhauser didn't recall too much about the details.

The point was that Cleria was terminated by the Government of Ars Goetia for sticking her nose where she didn't have to.

His plan was simple. If the two Super Devils were also on this, then Ajuka was also present. He was going to share everything with him. Luckily, Bedeze Abaddon and Roygun Belphegor — users of the King Piece — were acting as bodyguards, making this easier to show proof.

"And who said you can come with us?" Calcabrina folded her arms with a motherly look, "Gilles will teleport you back to your Peerage — where everything is safe."

"It's better if he comes with us," Mephisto intervened, "He and Diehauser are important for this plan to work out. Plus the brat said he has something that could benefit us. Given that Zekram brought the big guns, we should pull ours too."

Calcabrina scowled and her back stiffened. "Besides that, why does Danhauser have to come with us?"

"Society," Matanbuchus answered. "Diehauser is one of the most famous devils of not only Ars Goetia but the whole _Underworld_ as well. He's inspired too many Devils to participate in the Rating Games and he's even considered a candidate of the next Maou when one of the currents ones leave their seat. If everyone finds out that Diehauser was killed then Ars Goetia would explode."

"… What does this have to do with Danhauser again?"

"In the aftermath of his first Rating Game, he challenged the Top Ten — _face to face_ ," Matanbuchus continued, placing both hands on the shoulders of his wife, "He became viral in the Underworld and probably a good amount of people are looking forward to his achievements."

"Plus losing two strong Devils would not benefit the Great King," Gilles added.

Danhauser pocketed his hands, "So, we're like meat shields?"

"It's either that or giving your cousin to the government," Mephisto snapped.

"I wasn't against the idea," Danhauser muttered, "Alright, I'm in."

It took minutes for Calcabrina's glare to soften, "I don't want any of my children to risk their necks," She clenched her fists, nails digging her palms. "But neither do I want Cleria to die. Fine, let's kick some ass!"

"The only ass that's gonna get kicked is ours…" Malacoda mumbled, earning a wack from his sister, "I mean! Yeah! Love! Friendship! _Woohooo_!"

Mephisto rolled his eyes and floated away with his chair, "Let's get this shit done already."

Everyone followed the elder.

* * *

Cleria Belial was lost for words. She could just stare into the doors that blocked sight of her heroes, and her heart fell silent.

Do something! Her brain roared.

But she couldn't will her legs to move.

As if stuck underwater, everything was slow and warbled as Matanbuchus Belial squeezed softly her shoulder, "Diehauser and the rest got this under control. We'll have to wait here in the meantime," He advised. But her mind was blank and her eyes wide as she stared longingly at the doors.

Matanbuchus never expected an answer. He comfortingly rubbed her back and joined her.

She had to say something! She searched her mind for something reasonable to say, but to her surprise, her heart answered for her, "T-thank you, everyone."

* * *

"Hey, Coda. If we somehow died, I have something to tell you," Mephisto Pheles said.

"Oh snap! Emotional speeches!" Malacoda Malebranche cheered, "Gimme! Gimme!"

"… Out of all the Old Devils, you're my favorite."

"Aw! Thanks, Mephisto — you're also at the top of my favorite list!"

"I still think you're the biggest cunt in history."

"Shaahahaha!" Malacoda laughed loudly, "You know the saying! You are what you eat!"

The Belial brothers and Mephisto stayed quiet.

"Heh," Gilles de Rais chuckled, "Well played."

Calcabrina Belial glared at his brother, "… Can you keep your perverse stuff for yourself? I don't want my children listening to your words — let alone repeat them."

Malacoda adopted a smirk, wrapping an arm around his sister's neck and pulling her closer, "Guess that makes my little sister the biggest dick in history, eh?"

Disgust shaped on her face — almost hatred — as her cheeks reddened with anger. She proved her strength by elbowing the ribs of her older brother, earning a painful gasp from him, "Dumbass."

"Oof!"

Danhauser Belial and Diehauser Belial made eye contact, smiling faintly. They knew it was just Malacoda poking fun over his one and only little sister. Diehauser and Cleria did the same thing over Danhauser.

Worst enemy and best friend all in one neat package.

"Alright! Laughing time is over!" Mephisto called out, glaring at the locked doors. The tension that had kept him up for hours straight melted into nothing. He grinned. "Ha! Tannin was here for a while."

With the adrenaline he had been fighting for all that time, half of it had washed away. Diehauser brought his head around, looking a little relieved than before, "Everyone's ready?"

"All of you better be," Mephisto peered over his shoulder, "Brat. I'll keep Zekram tamed while you pull out that card off your sleeve."

Dread crept down his spine like a careful spider leaving a trail of silk. Danhauser ran his hands over the greyish hair, almost yanking them out of his head.

He awkwardly gestured the exit, "L-let's jump into it."

When the doors cranked open, the only thing impeding them the view was the gigantic dragon with arms folded blocking the entrance to the uninvited guests.

Tannin glanced behind his shoulder and nodded, "Mephisto. Heard there was trouble."

Danhauser swore to spot Zekram Bael mumbling something under his breath — likely a curse.

Bedeze Abaddon, Roygun Belphegor, and Rudiger Rosenkreutz seemed to wish to be in a different place now that Mephisto was here.

They knew that trouble was coming.

"It's a long story, Tannin," Mephisto floated beside his Queen, "These donkeys are putting stress over my aching and flat ass."

"Yo! Sirzechs!" Malacoda gave the Crimson Satan a peace-sign, "Ready for round two?"

"Malacoda," Sirzechs Lucifer brought a hand up, attempting to halt him, "I'm not here to fight. Don't make things more complicated!"

Evil Tail shrugged, "Can't do," He flashed his biggest grin, "Y'all going after someone important to me. That ain't happening under my watch!"

"… Don't make me do this."

"…" Tannin towered the Super Devil. His red, slitted pupils unfazed but his face set hard, "You don't frighten me, Sirzechs. Now come — let the battle begin."

Gilles pulled out Gram while Calcabrina snapped her fingers to summon her trustworthy trident.

Sirzechs stood back, hands clenched but somewhat slack-mouthed.

The green-haired Super Devil scowled and readied himself.

The Champion nodded at his fellow Rating Gamers and took a stance, "No hard feelings. Hope you three understand."

"You… you don't have to do this, Diehauser," Rudiger implored as Bedeze and Roygun responded with the same posture — sweating a little.

Diehauser never replied back.

"… You idiot!" Elder Naberius at last snapped, guarding himself behind the three rating gamers, "… You're the head of the Belial Clan, act like a leader! You and your family are challenging the _government_ and _threatening_ two Elders! This won't go unnoticed!"

No one replied back.

Mephisto eyed each one of them and sneered, "I see you brought your shitty familiars for a walk, Zekram."

"I pray life is treating you well Mephisto," Zekram greeted, mildly annoyed. Behind that stony expression, there was anxiety, Mephisto could taste it, "I'm afraid I'm not here to talk with you. Now, can you please tell them to lower their stances?"

Mephisto chuckled dryly, "Not happening Zekram," His expression dropped to serious, "They told me everything."

"… Then you understand the dangers threatening the thin relationship of Ars Goetia _and_ Heaven?"

"Yes, the ' _pacifist'_ Great King planned to chop the head off someone — without listening to the part of her tale — to protect the status quo of Heaven and the Remaining Pillars."

"I wish there was a safer approach for this," Zekram admitted, "I'm afraid there's none. Now leave and take your Queen with you. You don't have the rights to involve yourself in politics solely aimed at citizens of the 72 Pillars. Same goes for you, Malacoda."

"The King piece is real."

…

…

…

The air was so brittle It would snap, and if it didn't — Danhauser might. No one spoke, what was there to say? Platitudes wouldn't cut it right now. Danhauser just came from Kuoh Town, where they also wanted to behead his cousin. Now he was catapulted in the same situation, but ten times worst.

He was tired of all this shit. He wanted to end this with lady luck clung on his side.

The expressions were as Danhauser had somehow expected them to be. The two Super Devils were bewildered. Those within the Top Ten — mostly Bedeze and Roygun — had their blood drained out of their faces. And Elder Naberius was sent reeling backward.

"Whaaaaat…!" Malacoda looked away from Sirzechs Lucifer to spare his nephew a face stuck in an incredulous expression, "You're shitting on me, right?"

"Well, that was fast," Mephisto grunted.

"And unexpected," Zekram clearly wasn't bothered by the revelation, "It's not surprising that you're well-acknowledged of the _urban legend_ surrounding the King piece. The media has been pestering The Emperor since his debut," He paused with a frown, "… But the King piece is just that — _a myth._ "

Danhauser knew that the Great King was just telling lies. However, he didn't recall if the Bael Clan was behind the usage of the forbidden piece just as Bedeze had implied in the Light Novels. He only knew the Old Devils were abusing of it.

Either Zekram was involved in the fraud of the Rating Games or he was just trying to perish the existence of the King Piece in fear of Devils pursuing it for evil deeds.

Diehauser regained his senses by shaking his head, "Dan. What are you saying? The King piece is not real."

"Yes," The first Naberius had his teeth clenched this whole time, glaring fiercely at the Heir of Belial, "… Just _fake_ distributed information. Be silent, brat."

Before he could reply, Danhauser wilted under the gaze of the Super Devil — Ajuka Beelzebub. It wasn't just the cool blue eyeballs, it was the intelligence and power behind them that did it.

Seeing this on the bright side, Danhauser had captivated the attention of Ajuka — exactly what he'd needed.

Danhauser faced his older brother with confidence, "Trust me on this," His gaze switched to the Maou. "Satan Beelzebub. The Rating Games are corrupt. Many shady dealings go on behind your back and under your nose!"

Ajuka just stared at Danhauser open-mouthed. He closed his mouth, then looked at his shoes before glancing back up to catch his eye, "Go on," Was all he could say.

Roygun stood as if paralyzed from the neck up, unable to speak.

"That brat!" Bedeze yanked his tie — his favorite — and balled it up, "H-how does he…?!"

"Most of the members of the Rating Game Executive Committee are part of this fraud too. They use bribes, match-fixing, and such."

"…" Ajuka kept listening.

"Great King!" Elder Naberius glanced at Zekram, wide-eyed, "Remember why we're here! We are just wasting time!"

"…" Zekram remained silent, ears trained.

"Some Rating Gamers use the King piece even though they are banned — the higher-ups and the elderly devils are the ones behind these crimes!"

Rudiger shot Zekram a sideways glare, noting the elder wearing a frown of utter confusion and disagreement.

"Impossible," The Great King dismissed his arguments, "I've been keeping my eyes over the Old Devils for a long time. Never have I seen any suspicious move coming from them."

Zekram realized that it was futile to change Danhauser's view concerning the King piece. The Heir of Belial knew too much already.

 _How?_ That's another story for another time.

"That's right you brat!" Naberius pointed a shaky finger at Danhauser, "Shut _your_ —!"

Danhauser obviously ignored them.

"Because of your absence, the grace of the Rating Game just turned into politics and deception!"

"… So you think this is why they want Cleria executed?" Ajuka finally said, "Because the Elders were worried that they were going to be exposed by her?"

"… Do you have _any_ proof of this?" Zekram folded his arms, "Or these are just assumptions coming out of your head?"

"Unlike you, we have the _evidence_ of your cousin dating the exorcist!" Naberius added.

Danhauser gestured with his head at Naberius, "… Those amongst the Top Ten. But apparently, you also had your share in this mess."

Roygun and Bedeze winced while Rudiger curved an eyebrow at the accusation.

Naberius thumbed himself, "Now I'm a suspect in this too?!" He cocked his head and laughed noisily, "Now why?! Because I'm part of the Old Devils? Know your place you insolent brat! Thanks to my generation you're not in a stupid war!"

"You're acting as if you were the victim."

Sirzechs took a step forward, hand raised, "This is getting out of—!"

"Why wouldn't I?! You're accusing me of something I have never done in my life!"

Danhauser almost scoffed, "Now say that again without sweating."

"I—!" Naberius stopped after accidentally locking stares with Ajuka — the latter waiting for his counter-attack. His mouth opening and shutting like a goldfish with no sound coming out.

He wasn't intimidated by the grey-haired heir — why would he? — but whenever Satan Beelzebub trailed his judgmental eyes from Danhauser to him made him spew gibbering nonsense.

"Naberius?" Zekram called out, "What's wrong?"

"…"

"Nothing else to add, Elder Naberius? Fine," Ajuka hummed before giving Danhauser the spotlight, "I'd heard enough anyways. You don't mind if I call you Dan, right?"

Danhauser shook his head. He was near to the point of nibbling his nails out, yet there was a light of hope keeping him steady.

"Dan, aside from the Old Devils, you believe those within the Top Ten are incriminated on this conspiracy?" He had to make sure Danhauser wasn't backing down, "You understand that you're involving your brother and your uncle on this mess?"

Little time he had to know the boy. But he was fine. He could look past the training tendencies that had kept him becoming the ideal next head of the Clan Belial. Not only is strength praised amongst the aristocrats, but also knowledge of how their governmental system worked.

Then again, he had no room to talk. He preferred to act like a hermit in his working station than fulfilling his role as a Satan.

"I hold not all of them are behind the corruption," Danhauser faced Diehauser and Malacoda, "Especially you two, right?"

"I'm still fucking confused," Malacoda massaged his forehead, trying to mitigate his headache, "But sure as hell I ain't cheating!"

The Champion — who was still dazed by the twist of events — nodded, "All this time I believed that the King piece was a legend invented by the press to pester us… that's how it is then? I understand. I swear in my name that I have never used it."

"My strength came from my body," Tannin grunted, "Not a King piece."

"In the end, words are just words," Danhauser sighed, "It's up to you to find the truth — Satan Beelzebub."

Ajuka stared intently at Danhauser, searching for any hint of deceit. He found none, "Great King, I want _all_ the elders and the Top Ten to meet up in the capital of Ars Goetia — Lilith."

Zekram blew an indignant snort, "You can't be serious. There's no way this is real. If it was, I would be the first one to be aware!"

"They could've scheme behind your back, Great King," Ajuka pointed out, "Maybe not all elders are behind this plot, a few may have fallen off your radar and pulled your strings since then."

"Pull _my_ strings?" Zekram's eyebrow twitched, "I don't think you heard me quite well. This is _not_ real! It's impossible that they could do this without getting caught by me!"

Mephisto's small laugh won everyone's attention, "Brilliant! Now I see why you're acting like a fucking donkey! You're in denial!"

Zekram shot a slight glare his way at sticking his nose. There were times where Mephisto could become as obnoxious as any little brother. Today wasn't an exception, "Mind your business."

"… You may look like one, but you're not a dumbass Zekram. You can't see it thanks to that high horse of yours — typical of the Bael bloodline," Mephisto snickered and had a staring contest with Zekram, "You — who treats people just like pawns in chess — the _Chessmaster_ himself, has been manipulated by his own pieces."

Zekram nearly dropped his noble persona and lunged at the heterochromatic devil. He was about spat out his words with ferocity in Mephisto's face. But stopped when a blurred object shot past his ear. He sharply wheeled around, "W-what?!"

"Shit!" Danhauser barely caught it like a baseball catcher. He perked up and glanced behind Zekram with the same facial expression as the Great King, "Roygun?"

The woman forced a wink, "Congratulations, _detective_ ," Her tone was calm, flirtatious even. But her heart felt like a bomb ready to explode, "You did it."

"R-Roygun?!" Bedeze stuttered, pale as a ghost, "Y-your….!"

"Your immense demonic power." Calcabrina whispered, eyeing at the second-ranked oddly, "… It's weaker."

Danhauser drew a sharp breath and unfolded his clasped hands.

The King piece lied on his palms.

"… It's real," The Champion breathed out.

The forbidden piece floated and left Danhauser's grasp. He watched as it reached Ajuka's direction.

Satan Beelzebub narrowed his eyes and shook the piece between his fingers, "Is this enough to prove Dan's testimony is solid?"

Zekram turned, but too slowly to be normal, "How…? When…? I-I've always…!" When he spoke his voice trailed slowly like his words were unwilling to take flight. His eyes had a strange sunken look that made even Mephisto uncomfortable.

Rudiger — who was quiet this whole time — spoke, "For such a thing to exist. Fascinating. Yet, disappointing."

Tannin just nodded.

Bedeze mind's was laid waste. He could only stare at the woman who sold them out, "… W-why…?"

"It has to be done, Bedeze," Roygun said softly, "Sooner or later we would get caught. We were just delaying the inevitable."

"B-but our fame! Ranks! Titles! WE LOST OUR PRESTIGE IN ARS GOETIA!"

"All gone," Roygun confirmed with a shallow sigh, "It was fun while it lasted. But Diehauser's cousin was about to die because of us… It's over."

The news passed through him like a hurricane. Everything he worked and struggled for, now laid in ruins. The third-ranked fell to his knees and punched the ground, tore the grass and cried out to the skies. He begged this to be just an illusion, but reality ignored his wish.

No matter how saddening Bedeze's scene was and how Roygun had the courage to confess her sins. Ajuka never had the heart to grant second chances as Sirzechs does, "You two — and those who shamed the Rating Games — won't get off with just a slap on the wrist."

Ouch. Roygun stuck with a dim smile, but her dismal eyes revealed her true emotions.

"…" Naberius had nothing to say.

Sirzechs parted his lips to speak, but a magic circle formed beside his ear, forcing him to swallow his words. A spell that surprised everyone. He waited for a second for the other end to speak up, but he would only hear their shallow breathing, "Who is it?"

 **[You should turn on your TV. Enjoy the show,]** An anonymous, distorted voice advised before ending the call.

There was a moment where Sirzechs's face washed blank with confusion, like his brain couldn't work fast enough to digest the message from his wide eyes. His senses came back roughly when his childhood friend snapped his fingers close to his face, "Ajuka. Think you can connect us to a TV station with Kankara Formula?"

The green-haired blinked at his request but nodded slowly. He snapped his fingers for a second time and invoked Kankara Formula.

Everyone watched with mixed emotions as bright green visualizations of the equations ran in Ajuka's demonic energy appeared and circled around them, accompanied by electronic circuit diagrams of the same colors, "I opened more than one TV station. Just in case."

Shockingly enough, all of them had the same scene.

Someone was sitting on a spinning chair, facing away from the cameras recording him. Danhauser noted the background was surrounded by a dangerous miasma and elevator music — out of place.

"That," Malacoda trailed off and squinted his dark red eyes, "That's a live broadcast?"

The music halfway ended, **[Shit! We're on air already?!]** The chair swiveled around, revealing a mysterious figure wearing a _Diehauser Belial_ mask with waved at everyone with enthusiasm, **[Hello, underworld! I'm your host — Mr. Champion — and you're watching the most reliable source of news on the underworld~!]**

Malacoda boomed a laugh while his sister smacked his head.

Diehauser blinked owlishly, "What."

"… Is this a jest?" Gilles asked.

"Who is this?" Zekram demanded.

Sirzechs furrowed his eyebrows, "I can't tell. His voice is distorted and that mask makes it harder to identify him."

Danhauser stayed silent, not knowing how to react.

 **[In the neeeews~!]** 'Mr. Champion' drawled and tossed aside the stack of papers in his grasp, **[Let's talk about the hottest topics of today! The evil side of the Rating Games and the biggest** _ **oopsie doopsie**_ **in history!]**

"What did he…?" Zekram started to say, in regards to his insinuation against the elders and the rating gamers. This figure was about to bring to light the last thing he ever wanted to share with Ars Goetia. That could not happen! "How does he… How does he know about this?!"

They hacked into the TV stations to broadcast this out to the Underworld. How well did this figure understood his actions? The suffering, the chaos. The moment the residents had taken notice over the leaked information they'll go past the tipping point and into unstoppable anarchy.

 **[Both this** _ **sham-filled**_ **society... and the Top Ten who cheat in the Rating Games in the name of petty mischief... makes them the** _ **furthest**_ **thing from** _ **true**_ **sportsmanship.]**

They watched as the reporter thundered his fingers and a King piece materialized on the table, **[It's been confirmed with capital C! The infamous King piece exists! And it's been playing a vital role in all the matches of the Top Ten. They have been abusing it to strengthen themselves since their launch. The weak fucks!]**

From this point, it was really obvious the motive of the self-proclaimed host. He was encouraging the barbarism of the people. He had no off-switch, only the most immoral were the victors and so he went on. Morality was for losers, winners were the ones who pushed the envelope. His revelation would dramatically shake the values of the Underworld and balance would collapse.

 **[The Old Devils, Bael and Belial Clan were not an exception! After all, those three are the** _ **highest**_ **authority of the remaining Pillars, aren't they? They can get whatever they want** _ **without f**_ **acing consequences, am I right? They can break** _ **their**_ **own** _ **rules**_ **and get away with it as long as they don't get caught, am I fucking right?!]**

"Bullshit…" Diehauser felt the panic begin like a cluster of spark plugs in his abdomen, "That's complete bullshit!"

As he got more into the broadcast and kept deducing who was the character behind the mask, Sirzechs ran interference, "Ajuka, is there any way you can detect the roots of the hijacked signals?"

The Chief Advisor for the Technology Department was the only one knowledgeable on this field.

"I was already on it. It's in the Phenex State."

Diehauser's eyes left from the screen, over to Ajuka so quickly, he cracked his neck, "It could be. Ruval's second brother is the boss of a media company."

 **[HOW DOES IT FEEL,** _ **REMAINING PILLARS?!]**_

He kept adding salt into the wound.

 **[THAT YOUR SO CALLED** _ **'H-E-R-O-E-S'**_ **ARE THE ONES BEHIND THE FRAUD OF THE RATING GAMES?!]**

Blood boiling.

 **[Spitting in all the young Devils that have appeared one after another!]**

Ragged breath.

 **[** _ **Struggling**_ **at the forefront of the Rating Games who were defeated by** _ **untalented**_ **kings!]**

And the next thing Danhauser was conscious of was the sound of sirens coming from the distance.

"Lilith and Agreas," Elder Naberius answered his doubts, "… their sirens. The damage has been done."

"… So fast," Calcabrina mumbled, awestruck.

 **[Oh, why? All of you are crying...?]** 'Mr. Champion' tilted his head, **[Don't! Laugh,** _ **go mad!**_ **We are in the fucking jungle now! Come, sharpen your fangs and reveal your tongues — my maddened brethren! INDULGE IN YOUR BEASTLY DESIRES!]**

Sirzechs channeled a magic circle under his feet, "We still need to stop the residents from worsening the situation. Someone could get badly hurt or worse — get killed."

That ceased the plan to go after Mr. Champion and arrest him on the spot. Still, Ajuka asked, just to be sure, "What of the unknown person?"

Sirzechs was quick to shoot down Ajuka's idea, "What of him? Our job as a Maou is protecting our people from harm. They need our help more than ever," The Crimson Satan was still adamant to soothe the riot, "I'll take the lead and contact my Peerage and Serafall to assist me in Lilith. You take your Peerage and Falbium to Agreas."

As the redhead teleported, Ajuka settled his sight on the figure behind the mayhem bidding his farewell.

 **[This is it for today's news! I'm your host and you just watched the most reliable source of news in the underworld!]** He imitated a gun with his hand and 'fired' to the audience. **[Buh bye~!]**

The image on Ajuka's projection became a mosaic of static noise. But quickly changed into photos information about the King piece, the monument where it was created, and a video that had the Belial Clan's heart racing.

Danhauser was horrified that the video being shown to the Underworld had Cleria and Yaegaki Masaomi as the protagonists. His breathing ragged and harshened. He gritted his teeth to stifle a tantrum. He could read all the personal information of Cleria and Masaomi as the video rolled in.

"Son of a bitch!" Malacoda exploded, "How did that fuckface get that video?!"

Zekram fired a glare at Naberius' direction, "That is the video you'd showed me before the meeting with Archangel Michael. Care to explain?"

"…"

"… We'll have a long talk after this, _Naberius_."

Naberius recoiled under the sharp gaze of the Great King, it was worse than an enraged panther.

"Talk my ass!" Malacoda growled, "Give him to me! I'll give him a free ride to Malebolge!"

"We got worse issues right now," Diehauser reminded his uncle. He wasn't opposed to the idea, though.

"I want each one of you either on Lilith or Agreas," Ajuka didn't want to hear ifs ands or buts from the Rating Gamers, "Especially you two. Later we'll discuss your punishment."

With that point taken, Bedeze and Roygun cowered from the Super Devil.

"You know what to do, Tannin," Mephisto watched from his seat the black clouds coming from the capital.

Now that everyone had set aside the dispute of Cleria and had a similar goal in mind, the seventh-ranked harrumphed, "Standing here won't make things quicker," Rudiger said after conjuring out a magic circle, "… Agreas or Lilith? Just say the word and I'll teleport you there in no time."

"I'll go to Lilith," Diehauser moved until he stood above the magic circle, "Malacoda and Bedeze are coming with me."

Malacoda just shrugged and Bedeze raised no objections.

"Then I'll handle Agreas with Roygun and Tannin," Rudiger bid them good luck and sent them away, "What do you have in mind, Satan Beelzebub?"

Ajuka looked at Danhauser, at the mother, then at the French Butler, "… It's better if you three stayed here. It's safer," Most likely a mob would come here to invade the Belial manor — Ajuka figured, "I'll send someone to keep an eye over your territory."

" _It would be the best,"_ Danhauser thought. It wasn't shocking if Ajuka had already imagined some devils expanding their rebellion over the Belial State.

"The case of Cleria Belial is far from over," Ajuka had to drop the unfortunate news, "But since the plot of the King Piece arose to be authentic… then maybe the government is willing to give her a chance to prove her innocence."

Danhauser could only hope that — after the turbulence had settled down — fortune would be at his side.

* * *

When Michael shook hands with the Great King, he thought that it was all over. That Shidou Touji and the other exorcists were going to handle things and return to Europe safely, and things would go back to normal.

But of course, it did not last.

"Michael!" A baritone voice called out, taller and muscular than the Archangel, but with matching blond hair and green eyes, " _Plumes_ of dark smoke are rising from the walled _Vatican_ City! Orders?!"

It all began when Shidou Touji and his subordinates went back to the Vatican Headquarters with empty hands and unfortunate news. He'd given his full report to a silent Ewald Cristaldi.

But the horde of curious exorcist began noticing someone was absent within the group — Saint Jeanne.

Where's Saint Jeanne?!

What happened to her?!

And Chaos-Edge Sieg?!

Those were their demands.

And one of the Cardinals replied, "Like the previous nuns and maidens, Jeanne has been excommunicated for sinning."

…

It all started with quiet mumbling before the exorcists showed flashes of anger, jeering and shouting. A cathedral window was smashed. Some of the nuns and priests panicked and dissipated as fast as they could — fleeing down the streets.

The Archangel could only watch with vacant eyes as the three Cardinals and Touji's group tried to stop the now mindless and dangerous mob.

Burning ancient and religious texts.

Looting relics.

Smashing windows.

Destroying the Lord's property.

This was what Michael tried to avoid.

Gabriel had tried to talk with Jeanne telepathically, but the former saint never answered the desperate call. Her whereabouts unknown even to those of Heaven.

The Archangel broke away from the screen and addressed the taller Seraph, "Uriel, make contact with the Great King. I wish to speak to him."

"But the Vatican!"

"I already sent Gabriel," Michael responded, "She's trying to build a connection with the Pope so he can bring the Strongest Exorcist back to the Vatican."

"Dulio Gesualdo," Uriel said aloud before nodding at his leader, "Make contact with the Great King, correct?"

"Please."

"It will take a while, you know that right?"

"I trust you."

No words were exchanged afterward. Uriel summoned his multiple wings and left Michael alone in the room.

The Archangel trained his stare back to the screen. He quietly watched the thick black smoke billowing upon the Pope's city.

The more he looked into the havoc, the darker his expression became.

For the briefest seconds, the golden halo above Michael's head flicked black.

* * *

Soon shouts and battle calls broke out, rising in volume, filling the air like thunder. They had lost all self-control. It was a riot. Pure and Reincarnated Devils alike putting their enmity aside for a similar cause. Anyone who tried to stop them was beaten severely.

Guards in heavy armor with their sturdy shields and helmets covering their head marched towards them in rigid formation. Instructions were given through loudspeakers and then the tear gas was unleashed.

Sometimes, the mob would return the tear gas back to their owners, but Bedeze Abaddon countered with the Power of Hole.

Diehauser Belial stood behind and started generating Worthlessness before looking up to his uncle in his True Form and falling down to the mob. When he landed, he turned the floor beneath him into Pitch Resin and sprouted multiples black tendrils out from his body, trapping out several rioters as they ran away.

Before The Emperor could give any kind of compliments, more rebels flared from a different direction. Diehauser shot out his Clan Trait when they came firing back, "They keep coming from left and right!"

"If only we weren't holding back!" Bedeze yelled back as he returned their foe's demonic power with his holes. He made sure to fire it close to their feet to push them away. He had already had issues with the Maou Beelzebub, he'd rather not stretched it toward the Great King, "Malacoda!"

Malacoda Malebranche rushed and waited for Bedeze to move his holes out of the way. In mid-air, his body grew and morphed into a huge Kraken, using his army of tentacles to snare the mad dogs.

Diehauser saw how Malacoda glued them on nearby buildings, "Good! If we keep going with this pace then—!"

A fireball impacted on Diehauser's head. It didn't hurt, it was like getting stung. But it left a clear message.

"SCUM!"

One male rebel shakily stood up and looked at them. No…. glared at Diehauser and snarled.

"Y-you were my inspiration!"

"That's why you never lose a match, right!?"

And slowly, more followed suit.

"You Top Ten disgraced the grandness of the rating games!"

"I always looked up to you!"

"I bet the Bael and Belial heirs are also users of the King piece!"

Words of disapproval came flooding in and the number of people joined the massacre.

"The Belial and Bael Clans are the ones behind this! They were spitting in our faces this whole time!"

"A member of the Belial Clan had a romance with exorcists of all things!"

A few even changed the subject for a worse one — the situation of Cleria Belial.

"Cheater!"

When someone pulled the trigger—

"Cheater!" "Cheater!"

"Cheater!" "Cheater!" "CHEATER!"

Enraged citizens joined the chorus to bash Diehauser — the Rating Game Champion. Those eyes that once looked up at him with admiration now looked down at him with betrayal. Years of respect forgotten in the hatred of a minute.

Thankfully, they were silenced by a wave of Pitch Resin crashed into them, followed by targets frozen in blocks of ice.

Seconds of tensed silence passed as a female figure landed in front of them. "This will stop them." The raven-haired woman swirled around, once her face full of childishness swapped by fear. It was Serafall Leviathan, "We need to hurry up! A horde broke into the Council!"

Just as Serafall invoked her wings, Bedeze and the guards soon followed.

Malacoda halted beside Diehauser and slid a hand over his forehead, "Phew! All these ice cream's flavors and the fuckers went for the salty one! Am I right, Big D?"

The Champion stood there, fatigue engraved on his worn face.

"… That fucking host had some charisma, eh?" Malacoda nudged him, trying to lift his nephew's mood with a joke, "Think he can talk to some goddess into giving him head too?"

"…"

"… Look, Big D. If you want you can leave. Bedeze, Serafall and I got this handled. Get some rest."

"I'm fine," Diehauser said while kneading his eyes, "I'm fine. A little caught off guard — that's all."

"… Alright, fair enough," Malacoda obviously didn't buy it, but conceded, "Just don't let them get under your skin."

* * *

Danhauser Belial shut the television off. It had been the same story all over again. The press either discussed the King piece and the 'influencers', the case of Cleria Belial _or_ the television signal hijacking that'd occurred on the Phenex State. They'd named it: _The Diehauser Belial Broadcast Intrusion_ — or by its acronym _DBBI_ — because the unknown person was wearing a mask resembling the face of his brother.

From what he'd gathered was that the wannabe host had taken control over the station of the second son of Lord and Lady Phenex and had murdered the guards over the place, leaving alive Ruval Phenex's brother. The place was infested by a dangerous miasma, anyone who inhaled it would severely face the consequences.

Thankfully, the second son wasn't wounded, only tied up and with a gas mask. He was still sent to a hospital for safe measure.

The media wasn't journalism anymore — it was a puppet show. The stations gobbled up the worst of the worst, the more violent the better, anything for the ratings and views. Ratings and views meant money, lots of it. What pissed him off the most was how the journalists focused more on the Belial Clan — trying to paint them as evil incarnate. And the viewers were buying their propaganda.

It took days for the government to finally bring back balance on Lilith and Agreas, but the aftermath already left grievous wounds. It would take perhaps months to repair the damage. The citizen, however, were still crestfallen.

"He didn't have any other option," Danhauser heard his brother say from the sofa, "Either Ruval's brother helped him on using the stations or he would be gassed."

Danhauser scowled, "Shocked that they kept their side of the bargain."

"Ditto on that," Malacoda Malebranche brought his arms behind his neck with a sigh, "Think the Old Satan Faction was behind this?"

"I don't think so," Diehauser Belial knew that the Old Satan and the Anti-Satan Faction had been enemies since the birth of the first Civil War. It wouldn't be surprising if they were behind the anarchy just to lower their defenses. Then again, they never showed up.

"It has to be Satanael. The video they'd broadcasted of Cleria around the Underworld was in Kuoh Town," Diehauser and Malacoda noticed him wincing at that, despite his efforts to hide it. "Plus the date was just on the _exact_ day when he toyed with us."

"At least they'd allowed Cleria to speak her side of her story," Diehauser quickly changed the subject. He slowly trailed his eyes over his cousin, "… Now we only have to wait."

Cleria groaned as her head throbbed, "It huuuuurtsss…!" She whined and accepted the wet towel from Calcabrina Belial, "Nobody wants to help me, and I'm dying!"

"You're not dying, Cleria," Calcabrina said flatly.

Since the only evidence they had were Cleria's memories, Diehauser had to resort with harsher — yet effective — methods. With the help of his bishop — Aleister Crowley — and the approval of Cleria, the bishop yanked her memories and locked them in a crystal ball, lending it to the higher-ups.

Apparently, Aleister took a lot of her thoughts to make sure she's saved from execution at the cost of a migraine.

Danhauser rolled his eyes, stole the wet towel from her grasp and placed it on her temple, "What a crybaby," He mocked her, "Gilles will return with my Peerage. Hang in there. When Valerie comes back, she will heal you in no time," He said soothingly.

Cleria pouted at him, "I'm not a crybaby," She muttered quietly to herself.

"Yes, you are," Danhauser heard her loud and clear.

As if on cue, the twin doors opened.

The Belial Clan were expecting Gilles de Rais with Danhauser's peerage at his side, _not_ three political figures.

"Great King…" Diehauser looked at Zekram Bael, at Lord Bael, then at the Lord of Agares. He watched with rapt attention as they closed the doors.

Even Matanbuchus Belial had to rush downstairs after sensing the familiar auras.

"At ease," Zekram brought a hand up before anyone could stand up, "We don't have much time to waste since we still have to do crucial conditions for the maintenance of Lilith and Agreas," His expression hardened, "We came here for various reasons. We're going to announce the fate of Cleria Belial."

Lord Agares took a step forward, a sharp gaze putting them nervous, "Indeed."

There was no sound in the house to the point that Danhauser could hear everyone's heartbeat. Malacoda's posture even became somewhat intimidating.

Danhauser sat, unable to speak, foot tapping up and down like some dumb windup toy.

…

…

…

Lord Agares flashed a smile, "She's pardoned."

"FUCK YEEEEAH!" Malacoda pulled his nephews and niece into a bear hug and spun them around, "We fucking did it, you ugly rats!"

Everything became blurred as his uncle whirled them around. He heard cheer and laughter from everybody and barely saw his father embracing his wife tightly.

"S-stop!" Cleria laughed and tried to break free, "My head! I'm getting dizzy!"

As their uncle brought them down, Danhauser made the major mistake to glance at the three aristocrats.

"I'm afraid we're not done yet," Zekram gestured his descendant to step forward, "Lord Bael, would you kindly?"

Lord Bael stood face to face with Lord Belial, "Diehauser Belial," He paused, "You're stripped from your rank as well as the Clan Belial losing its high political position and privileges. You have a week to leave the manor _and_ clear out your desk in your office within Lilith — you're no longer part of the Senatorship."

Diehauser was still as a statue, his mind unable to comprehend.

"What?!" his father intruded Lord Bael's personal space, "What makes you think you can take my son's territory?!"

"A _High-Class_ Devil can't own territories in Ars Goetia," Lord Bael never backed down, "Only _Ultimate-Class_ Devils can receive the rights to choose a part of Ars Goetia as their territory."

"My son _helped_ you during the riot!"

"Elder Naberius was right back then," Zekram intervened and gestured at Diehauser, "Your oldest son _almost_ waged a fight that could risk _his_ life and the life of _many_ others for the sake of protecting a _single_ member of his Clan. He even brought up outside forces for his selfish cause." He turned to Cleria, "I think everyone knows your biggest mistake."

Cleria cringed.

"Whoa, whoa!" Malacoda jumped in, "I had a call with Mephisto and asked him if he could lend us a hand. If he didn't want to then fine. It's not like I was pointing him with a gun or something!"

"Plus it was our choice," Calcabrina added, "My son forced no one!"

"… He'd _threatened_ two elders and he was a hair away from starting a civil war," There was a momentary flare of anger in Zekram's face as he settled with Danhauser, "… And because of your _'truce'_ with that Saint and your impudent involvement in political affairs between the _72_ _Pillars_ and _Heaven_. The Vatican was set aflame by their own people. Your actions were not far from _restarting_ the Great War."

The Archangel already had told him everything. He'd always thought that Cleria survived and returned with her family. The face he had when in reality, it was Danhauser who'd almost endangered the pseudo-balance between the Three Factions.

He should take Cleria and finish what he'd started. But to their credit, they discovered the hidden factor of the Rating Games and during the mayhem, the mob was more enraged that the Top Ten 'lied' to their faces for years.

They want Cleria alive? Fine. That's their reward. They still had to pay for their childish behavior.

Lord Agares harrumphed, "If there are no questions then it's better if we take our leave."

Diehauser was lost of words. He could only stare wide-eyed as they calmly retreated.

"H-hold on!" Danhauser felt his demonic power rising up, but he kept it all smoldering underneath his horrified expression. "You… You can't do this to us. Y-you _just_ can't."

He most likely sounded like a moron, but he had to said it. Danhauser didn't know why, but he still did it.

Zekram stopped to glare Danhauser behind his shoulder, "As you sow, so shall you reap," He said before walking out, "Good luck from here on, Clan Belial."

The Lords of Bael and Agares slammed the door shut.

…

…

…

"… W-what just happened?" Cleria broke the silence.

Malacoda punched the nearest wall, "We got Zekram'd."

Danhauser stared dead ahead, never lowering his gaze. White knuckles from clenching his fist too hard, and gritted teeth from the effort to remain silent, but no avail, "Fuck! _Fuck!_ FUCK!"

In the end, things didn't go as he'd planned.

* * *

Danhauser Belial always thought that the Clan Belial was one of the strongest back in the days of the Original Maou, hence he'd never pestered about the background of his family and focused more on strengthening himself through intense training. It was an ignorant and childish thought he had.

To keep it brief, the Housecarl kept making mistakes after mistakes in the past and they were rejected within the politics. His father —Matanbuchus Belial — was a devil with average abilities, but still fought nail and tooth to change everyone's view of the House with charisma. He succeeded and the Clan Belial ranked as King while he stood as the Head.

The Clan became more admired when Diehauser Belial participated in the Rating Games _and_ turned into the next King of Belial. Sure, it wasn't as rich as the House of Phenex nor as famous as the House of Gremory. But it was considered one of the strongest in terms of strength and politics.

The manor where Danhauser had slept was Diehauser's territory after ascending to Ultimate-Class Devil long ago to expand the name of his Housecarl. But a week back the government wiped him out and they were forced to retreat back to the roots of the Belial Clan.

Where The Emperor grew up.

"Danhauser."

As he kept remembering when Zekram Bael kicked them out, his blood boiled.

"Danhauser?"

He wished he could at least punch the elder on the face for humiliating them — especially Diehauser.

"… Danhauser."

But he already degraded his family through his sins, letting vengeance manipulate him would worsen the situation.

" _Danhauser_ ," A voice whispered, not too far from his side. "We've stopped."

Danhauser turned his head to see Valerie Tepes at his side, her pale hand on his shoulder, looking back with those deep, red eyes mirroring concern. He glanced from his seat within the carriage, trying to spot either another manor or a castle, "Really? There's not a building around here."

"Well, there's a mountain blocking the passage," Siegfried noted. "… Maybe we have to walk from here?"

"And carry out all our belongings?" Ikuse Tobio slumped on his seat and groaned, "I know Devils have enhanced strength and stuff but still… I'm not feeling it."

Jin — who was inside the shadow of Tobio — howled.

"Why don't we just stay atop the mountain?" Bova Tannin suggested from the lap of the Dhampir, "Mountains are cool."

A sudden knock startled Danhauser, it was his brother with a faint smile, " _Maybe_ you should get out and enjoy the view."

With mutual frowns, Danhauser and Siegfried opened the door of the carriage.

As one by one they jumped off the vehicle, they finally perked up in awe as the great mountain loomed before them.

"Amazing," Danhauser breathed out, eyeing the cold grey crevices. While the lower passes wore a cloak of greenery, the peaks were crowned with a headdress of snow and on the side, half of a building appeared to be inside the mountain.

Why did the mountain have a building?

Wait.

"Home, _sweet_ home!" Malacoda nudged Matanbuchus Belial, "Man! It's been _ages_ since we returned to your home!"

Matanbuchus released a nostalgic sigh, his arm wrapped around his wife, "That much?"

"That much," Calcabrina Belial looked up at the mountain, "It's good to be back at home."

"Wait," Danhauser had his eyes wide as he'd caught up with the adults, "Your house is the _whole_ mountain?"

"No way…" Cleria gasped, also unaware, "I never knew you had a _Mountain House!"_

Matanbuchus chuckled at her excitement. He scratched his cheek. "For starters, it's not a _Mountain House_. It's just a mountainside house."

Bova released a roar of approval. "Epic! This is epic!" His eyes shined like stars as he kept praising their new home, "This is _way_ better than any castle!"

"I know right?!" Tobio also jumped on the bandwagon full of hype, "So original!"

"So, this is where the legendary champion passed his whole childhood," Ruval Phenex gazed up the place with hands inside his pockets, "Don't know why, but it suits you. The house I mean."

Of all the Top Ten, Ruval couldn't aid in the siege in Lilith and Agreas. After he'd found out his brother was held as a hostage, he did his best to get inside despite the miasma. However, before he could put a shoe inside the gassed building, he put his brain to work and destroyed all the windows and let the foul air leave the media station.

After hearing the unfortunate news the Belial Clan had passed through, he settled to join them on their adventure while interacting with Cleria.

Diehauser cocked an eyebrow, "Why?"

The strongest heir shrugged, "You were always a man of simple tastes."

"Does a house inside a _mountain_ seems simple to you?"

Ruval laughed, "For an arrogant aristocrat? Sure," He pointed at Danhauser's Peerage and Cleria, "For people like them? It's the house of their dreams."

"Mountain house!" Cleria cheered.

"Mountain houuuuseee!" Bova and Tobio joined the chorus.

Valerie stared blankly and Siegfried cringed.

Gilles de Rais clapped, "It's better if we move onwards," He glanced over his shoulder as maids and butlers stepped out of their rides, "This place must be filled by cobwebs and dust. I want each corner clean and gleaming!"

They all bowed and responded back.

The French Butler bowed cordially at his King, "Master, with your permission I will also assist in the task."

"Go for it."

Just as the Queen was about to sprout his wings, something burned within Danhauser's pocket. He carefully fished it. It was a flyer.

He scowled and spun it around. He'd never had the chance to spread flyers around Kuoh or Ryuukou Town. After all, he was more fixated on protecting Cleria and headbutting terrorists than fulfilling wishes from potential clients.

Then it struck him, "Gilles, wait!" Danhauser was quick enough to freeze him. He waved his flyer across his face, "I need you to teleport me back to Kuoh Town. It's an important contract."

"A contract?" Diehauser repeated, frowning, "Is it really safe to go there?"

"Most likely Touji left Kuoh. So yes, it's safe."

Even so, maybe a few troops were left behind just to spy over them and gather data now that Danhauser had become quite infamous. It wasn't wise to let him go away without at least someone watching his back. But he seemed adamant about going, "Okay, but I'll go with you," It'll take a while for his Queen to finish with the whole house. He could keep company to his little brother, "I need to stretch my legs anyway."

"Fair enough," Danhauser raised no objections, "Gilles?"

"Oui, oui."

"Be careful out there," Their mother called out, "Please."

Danhauser closed his eyes and felt magic embracing his body, followed by a state of nothingness and a warmer climate. If it wasn't for Diehauser patting his shoulder he would take longer to pop his eyes open. He warily looked around the abandoned house, by the looks of it this was the main room. He wondered why there was a window shattered, _"What happened?"_ He wondered.

Diehauser kneeled and grabbed one of the many shards, "Who owns this house?"

"Touji," The Belial brothers quickly spun around as a familiar blonde walked from the kitchen, "It was his base of operations, but not anymore."

Danhauser noted her puffy eyes and messy hair. It'd been a week since he'd heard about her, "Uh, Hey," he greeted awkwardly.

"Hey, you," despite her dire appearance, she was smiling. She bowed at the Emperor, "Lord Belial."

Diehauser raised a hand, "Diehauser is fine."

"What happened Jeanne?" Danhauser went straight to the point, "… Why are you still here?"

…

…

…

"T-the Vatican banished me," Jeanne revealed, "I have sinned and therefore fell from grace. The whole Church now sees me as a heretic or witch."

Danhauser pursed his lips at the announcement. He knew something had stumbled upon her, given how the higher-ups wanted to erase her after defending a devil and Masaomi Yaegaki — a stray exorcist. "What about Masaomi?" He asked and noticed the scowl from Diehauser but said nothing.

"He left," She gazed down at her clasped hands, "I don't know where. I tried to convince him to stay or even keep him company but he said he was like a bad luck charm and… and…"

"… Why did you stay behind?" Diehauser asked.

As the devils stood towering above her, she let out a shaky breath, "… I-I summoned you for a reason," The dread and anxiety deadened her mind and body, "… I-I believe you still have an incomplete Peerage?"

Her comment was so out of character — so far from what he knew of her — Danhauser just stared at her open-mouthed. Even Diehauser's professional posture waned slightly, "Why?"

"I have nowhere to go," The blonde confessed, "I-I know I've fucked up many times whenever I interfered in politics even though it does not concern me. But I swear I'll change if you give me a chance, just… _p-please_ , help me. I don't want to be alone."

He didn't know Jeanne for too long, but he liked her personality. She was good on his list. He wondered if it was because she was the inheritor of the soul of Joan of Arc that made her such a lovable and charismatic character in his eyes. After all, in his previous life, the French Maiden was one of his favorite historical heroines.

What would occur if he refused and left her here rotting? Most likely Cao Cao would seduce her a spot in the Hero Faction once the hero descendant became a terrorist. An encounter that would carry a lot of heavy drama that Danhauser wasn't sure he would deal with.

To an extent, the exile of Jeanne also laid on his shoulders. He knew that and he blamed himself because of that. If he hadn't built a partnership with Jeanne for the sake of luring the exorcists from Cleria then maybe none of this would have happened. He wasn't sure.

Was Michael taking note of this? Losing a saint that's capable of speaking to them through a simple mental connection? He didn't know if this was the Michael from the DxD canon. For all he knew, Danhauser could be in an alternate universe where the leaders of each faction weren't as goofy as shown in the Light Novels. It could be, the fact that Jeanne here was associated with the Church was a nod to his theories.

Maybe the Archangel was far too colder — and to an extent — the Seraphs too. Whatever it was, Danhauser had lost any respect he had harbored for the Heaven Faction.

Hesitantly, Danhauser looked up at his brother, wishing to hear his opinion about this.

The Champion shrugged. Jeanne wasn't a member of the Church any longer and wasn't affiliated to any other faction — yet.

Masaomi most likely didn't mind either. If he'd told her to stay here — in a Town under surveillance by Devils — then he approved of them. Unless he was expecting her to join Cleria's nobility rather than his.

He intentionally ruined her life, it's the least he could do.

"Hey, you hungry?" Danhauser saw her head tilting to the side with a puzzled expression. He gestured with his head to the kitchen, "You were there. Did you eat anything?"

She slowly shook her head.

"Great. Let's go then," Danhauser beckoned her to move closer, "I'll buy you something to eat. Maybe the hamburger restaurant is still selling. Wanna take a look?" He asked, smiling sadly as her eyes were filled with sullen hope, "I mean, if you're going to join the team, I should explain everything to you."

The look of joy in her face was kind of heartbreaking.

* * *

When Danhauser Belial had invited Jeanne and his brother to devour some hamburgers and kept her updated on the events that had transpired in the Underworld, he exploited the opportunity to think while pleasing his stomach. With the news he'd been slapped with, it was probably wise to think ahead.

Even if they were now living in a sick-looking house. It was that — a house. There were only seven bedrooms — each accompanied by its own bathroom. They were lacking space. The maids and butlers weren't an issue, they had their own settlements in the Belial State. They would just have to make their way here to fulfill their duties.

Even if Cleria Belial, Matanbuchus Belial, and Malacoda Malebranche were not staying, it would still be impossible to make room for Danhauser and his Peerage.

Diehauser Belial had the idea of expanding their house and going deeper inside the mountain. He also wanted to install a training space under the mountain. It would be cool to be in a room within the mountain, it made Danhauser feel as if he was in a secret base. Their father wasn't against the idea.

But taking a realistic view, it would cost a huge amount of money enlarging the house. Now that the Belial Clan had lost their status within the government, they lost ties with the Bael Clan _and_ Diehauser was now unemployed, their saved fortune would slowly lessen.

There were three things that were keeping the House of Belial clinging to a rope.

Diehauser and Malacoda's participation within the Rating Games, but the devils now saw the Top Ten — even those who never resorted by wielding the King piece — as cheaters. Sure, there were a few that declined to classify Diehauser as such — the people living within the Belial Territory as an example — but it wasn't enough.

Matanbuchus' payment within the City of Dis. However, Ars Goetia suffered from hijacking by outside forces, unlikely they would permit outsiders now. It would be difficult for their father to send them a good amount of money. He didn't know if this rule would affect figures such as Malacoda, Tannin, and Rudiger.

Kuoh Town and Ryuukou Town by making contracts with humans, a basic technique that always benefited the Remaining Pillars. Unfortunately, it was a danger zone now that Satanael knew about their hideout and the Fallen Angel most likely was affiliated with Qlippoth.

Another option they could try was increasing the tax of the merchants and citizen of the Belial State — who were not facing difficult lives. It was a risky move that Diehauser firmly rejected.

All in all, they were fucked and converted into the laughing stock of the elite and the media. Which just furtherly pissed Danhauser more.

He refused to be seen as such. He didn't know if it was because of arrogance or greed, but he loathed how the government practically claimed everything from them. He didn't want to live in poverty.

Looking at the bright side, Cleria was still breathing. Sometimes he wondered if he was pissed by Zekram or to himself. He could've planned it better, but he allowed his instincts to control the commotion.

Lacking ideas of how to solve their upcoming financial difficulties, Diehauser had teleported them back to their new house after finishing eating. They were caught off-guard by two unexpected visitors sitting on the many seats of the house.

Diehauser's eyes were locked with the pink-haired woman, "Roygun," He greeted.

Roygun Belphegor cringed at his tone of voice but still gave a light wave, "Hey, Diehauser."

Danhauser looked around in case if Gilles de Rais was around. He wasn't. His Peerage, mother and father were absent too. Most likely his parents and Gilles were giving the reincarnated devils a small tour around the place. Meanwhile, Malacoda, Cleria, and Ruval Phenex were on the small barroom, pouring themselves a glass.

His cousin had her wide eyes solely focused on Jeanne, almost spilling her drink.

"Excellent, you two are finally here," Danhauser could only watch as _Ajuka Beelzebub_ left his seat to approach them, "Beautiful, isn't she?" The green-haired waved at the walls made of glass. "I don't get to see her often enough."

Danhauser and Jeanne followed with their eyes — taken back by the sight. Up here, it's like looking down at the underworld. They could see the trees, the flowers, the lakes, and the Satan Territory — Lilith — from far away. Up here it's like standing on a giant's back exploring the underworld with awe.

"Beautiful," He heard Jeanne's whisper, "… The bible described the underworld _so_ differently…"

"I was born from the Astaroth Clan as you can tell. I never attended school, all my knowledge comes from homeschool," Ajuka sighed, "Never could enjoy it until I was an adult, but... I still think of her as a part of my life."

Danhauser's gaze jumped from Roygun to Ajuka until he settled with the latter, "I don't mean to sound rude but," He trailed off, "It's rare for Satan to stop by."

He would understand if Ajuka were to stopover the Astaroth Clan since they were blood-related. But the Belial Clan?

"I came here for various reasons," Ajuka kept contemplating the scenery, "You were right. The Rating Game Executive Committee were also pulling the strings from the shadows. I personally took care of that issue."

Everyone felt a chill crawl on their backs.

"I'm here to pay my gratitude," Ajuka finally faced them with a gentle smile and snapped his fingers. In a flash, _four_ King pieces were circling his hand, "Because of your cooperation, I had retrieved more King pieces and imprisoned the corrupters — one of them being Elder Naberius."

" _The host has one of the King pieces,"_ Danhauser thought, scowling, _"It has to be Satanael… or worse, Rizevim."_

Then again, what would they do with it? It's impossible for them to wield such an item. If you're already powerful then you'd exploded from the excess of power. They can't make copies because only Ajuka knows how to build one.

"Which begs the next question," Diehauser nodded at Roygun, "What are you doing here?"

Ajuka shot Roygun a disappointed glare, "… I decided to tone down their punishment after they'd helped out during the uproar. They're not going to face charges."

Roygun hung her head low.

"Aside from losing their rank, territory, and titles by the government of Ars Goetia. Bedeze, Roygun and two of the Top Ten are banned for the Rating Game. _Forever_ ," They slashed at him with betrayal. Ajuka parried with his vengeance.

" _Four_ of the Top Ten were cheating…?" Cleria whispered to herself, looking at her own reflection from her drink, "That's awful…"

The Satan vanished the forbidden pieces and fully turned over the distressed Roygun, "Besides that, I have no clue what she's doing here. She was here before me."

"I brought her here," Ruval admitted after taking a zip of his poison, "… She wants to speak with you, Diehauser."

With an encouraging thumbs-up of Ruval, the pink-haired woman muttered something under her breath and stood up, "Since I'm once again a High-Class Devil, Ars Goetia took my territory. I have nowhere to go."

"Why not go back to the Extra Demons Faction — the Belphegor Clan?" Malacoda asked her, "I mean if a ride is what you need, I got ya covered."

She let out a half-hearted laugh, "Thank you, but they made it clear they don't want to see my face anymore," She gave a trembling shrug, "To summarize it. I was also shunned from my Clan for participating in the corruption."

Diehauser leaned on a wall, eyebrow cocked, "You said 'also'. You don't mean…?"

"Bedeze and the other two were also outcasted by their Houses," Roygun replied before playfully poking her tongue out at Danhauser, "Well, it's _their_ loss! I don't need my Clan anyways. It's… it's always cool going solo. Right, cutie?"

Despite her 'chipper' attitude, Danhauser wasn't blind to how her features had twisted into a hollowed smile, tapping her foot impatiently.

"In a nutshell, you're asking to stay here," Malacoda earned a weak nod from Roygun, "Welp, Big D. Wanna adopt her?"

"… Why us?" Diehauser asked before giving his answer.

Roygun smiled, predicting the question miles away, "The Rating Games were part of my life," She gushed. "It's hard to describe how much it means to me. Every match I'd played, I had my heart shaking with excitement and wondering what is going to happen next… they'd filled my dull and boring life with adrenaline that I desired for _so_ long."

Ajuka stared, "Nice emotional speech," He said, "You're still banned."

"I know," She muttered and dropped to her knees until her horns touched the floor, "Diehauser. You are the face of the Rating Games. You and your brother are the closest things I'll ever be to the Rating Games. Please, let me stay."

…

…

…

Diehauser lowered his hands, then in a second he passed them across his hair, "… You can't." He ended Roygun's hope, "There's not much space in this house and even if there was, I wouldn't let you stay here. You _lied_ and _insulted_ the whole underworld for _years_. I don't want to live under a roof with someone that marred the pride of the Rating Games."

He knew Roygun back in the early days of the Rating Games, he even had the chance to know her better throughout the battlefield. Even if Tannin disapproved her of lazy, carefree and nonchalant nature, Diehauser respected her personality. She wasn't a sore loser, a rare trait amongst competitors.

His view over her had changed slightly after the past events. He blamed Roygun, Bedeze Abaddon and those involved in the disrespect that circled around the Top Ten and how the media kept pushing the buttons. Nonetheless, he was sure she was still a nice woman that didn't carry evil intentions. She just acted poorly.

Roygun turned Ruval's way and hopelessly left the ground, chuckling humorlessly, "See? I told you. There's no way Diehauser would let me stay here."

"I feel bad for her," Danhauser heard Jeanne sympathizing for the pink-haired, "… I know how it feels getting disowned by your own people."

"Y-you can stay in Kuoh," Cleria blurted out, pulling the attention to herself. She drank her glass in a semi-awkward attempt to ignore the intense stares, "I-if you want, of course!"

While Cleria was thankful for her family standing at her side and doing their best to save her, Roygun also had a role in her rescue. If she hadn't recognized her mistake, then civil war would ensue as Zekram Bael had stated.

"… Are you sure?" Roygun asked carefully, somewhat surprised.

"Of course!" Cleria thumbed herself confidently, "You can keep Danny and I some company in Kuoh! It's gonna be a blast!"

"… _I never agreed to this. But fine."_ Danhauser didn't mind having Roygun around Kuoh. Regardless if her powers were decreased after losing the King piece, it would make Satanael think twice before taking a step closer. He was surprised that Zekram hadn't taken Kuoh Town for himself.

Even Diehauser wasn't opposed to the idea.

Roygun laughed, relief washing her body, "I'm in your debt."

"Now that that part was solved," Ajuka drawled, "…. I heard you were fired from the Senatorship."

Diehauser grimaced at the reminder, "Yes, I'm still searching for a job."

"Search no more," Ajuka outstretched hand, "I want you to work for me."

He was the creator of the games and he left the basic management to the Executive Committee before kicking them out. As the game flourished, he became something like a hanger-on and stepped away from the thing he'd created. Yet — in spite of the prior incidents — he was still uninterested in personally handling the Rating Games. So, he opted to hire The Champion — it's a win-win for both parties.

Of course, he would pay a visit from time to time whenever the situation deems it necessary.

The smile Diehauser showed on the outside couldn't adequately reflect what he felt inside. He remained composed, that was great news, but there was just one issue, "Are you sure it's a good idea? What if the journalists go after you?"

Ajuka scoffed. "Let the sheep think what they want," He didn't give a single fuck — Danhauser thought, "I'm afraid your payment won't be equally as back when you were the Head Senator. Are you still in?"

Diehauser just grabbed his hand and happily shook it, "I don't know what to say, Maou Beelzebub."

"You can thank me by following me. You won't start today, but it's appropriate if you have a grasp of the installations," Ajuka nodded at Ruval and Malacoda, "This offer is extended to those from the remaining Top Ten as well."

Ruval shrugged, "Sure, why not? I had in mind giving Bedeze a tour around the Phenex Castle but mum can handle that."

Malacoda clicked his tongue, "Eh, I can't give you a full answer yet but I wouldn't mind tagging along."

"Perfect." Ajuka now trailed his eyes over Jeanne — the latter gulping at the cold stare, "… Given how a Saint is in the underworld I'll surmise that she was kicked out?"

"Y-yes," Jeanne stuttered, "I'm… I'm part of Dan's Peerage now."

"… I see. Keep your nose clean," Danhaser winced when Ajuka's intense stare devoured him, "How did you know about all this?"

He knew sooner or later that Ajuka, Zekram or someone from his family would interrogate him.

"… Whenever I stopped around Kuoh Town, I heard rumors of you making a game that was quite popular in the region of Japan," The heir explained slowly, carefully picking the right words. It was a half lie, he'd never heard people talking about Ajuka's game in Kuoh, he just read it in the Light Novels that citizen of Japan was attracted in this game.

"It's true that I'm making a game that piqued the interest of the Japanese audience, but it doesn't involve the rating games in the slightest," Ajuka pointed out.

Danhauser pursed his lips. "As you may know, I'd made a lot of enemies. From the Utsusemi Agency to the Hexennacht, both led by a Fallen Angel," He paused, hesitant, "… I heard from the leader of the Utsusemi — Hanezu Himejima — that you had a hideout somewhere Japan," Another small lie, Himejima Hanezu never knew about the Utsusemi, but since the latter was a Japanese, maybe he'd heard about this game and — to an extent — the secret base of the Maou? Maybe it wasn't that much of a lie, after all.

"Ah, that makes sense," He brought a hand to his chin, nodding to himself, "Given how the Fallen Angel Satanael was a former member of Grigori, they were sneaky enough to find my sanctuary."

Ruval eloquently narrowed his eyes, "It would explain why they also targeted the Clan Belial during the broadcast. An act of revenge after Dan kept attacking them."

Danhauser glanced down at his shoes.

"Whatever it is, I gathered all the data I needed. Thank you, Dan," Ajuka turned around and said to the rating gamers, "Now, if you three could please follow me…"

Danhauser didn't sense when the immense demonic power ceased to exist nor when the door closed — too captivated of the imminent future. He clenched his fist tightly. No matter if Ajuka took them under his wings, the Belial Clan was still mocked by the higher-ups now. It had been a week and Danhauser couldn't deal with the humiliation through broadcast writing.

He couldn't just sit with arms folded and act as if they weren't getting disgraced. He had to act now or never.

Danhauser finally perked up with a grim expression, "Jeanne, let's move."

The blonde was fast to follow, "W-where?"

"Just follow me," He had an idea. It was stupid, but that's all he had.

He just had to make a lot of calls.

* * *

"Wait! Wait! Wait! Hold on a second…! Parting ways?" Ikuse Tobio bore the facial expression of one unexpecting bad news, "Like a band?"

Valerie Tepes pursed her lips, "It appears so, yes."

"So unfortunate," Siegfried massaged his eyes with a sigh, "But why?"

Jin whined quietly.

"And two days ago I just joined the Peerage…" Jeanne mumbled.

It was silence afterward, no one dared to meet anyone's eyes.

They'd trained together each day and they were displaying results, but it wasn't enough. His team consisted of different fighting styles, from Tobio's usage of the scythe to Valerie's control over shadows. Danhauser Belial didn't know how to use a scythe or twist shadows or even wield a sword. He couldn't help them improve in their skills. Sure they had a good amount of time until canon started. But they were fighting terrorists head on, and the last fight they had was a _Satan_ Class. Step by step, powerful figures were arriving.

Their progress was horribly slow, they were just wasting time. It was way better if a professional were the ones supervising their growth.

After awkward minutes of basking under the sun, Danhauser opened his mouth to speak, "Four years," He announced, shocking his peerage, "We won't be seeing one another for four years."

Four years. In four years the upcoming Devil Gathering will be inaugurated and the chosen heirs of Danhauser's generation will participate. Of course, it was just an approximation as stated by Cleria Belial.

"What the hell!" Bova Tannin finally snapped, "Why we have to do this?! We just have to train like we always do! Together!"

"Our progress is slow," Danhauser explained with a sigh, "… We almost lost our lives back there more than one time."

"Those times I wasn't there! I bet we could have won!" The dragon persisted, screams slowly turning onto faint whispers, "We… we can just double-up our training! Come on…!"

"… I'm so sorry, Bova."

Bova glared at everyone, "Don't tell me all of you are going to roll with it?"

"He's our King, Bova," Valerie didn't like the idea either, but orders are orders, "We have to obey him. He's trying to help us."

"… Maybe this is for the best," Jeanne agreed.

Bova growled and kicked the dust with frustration, "This… this is bullshit."

…

"Tobio," Danhauser summoned a bag and passed it, "You'll be waiting in Ryuukou Town where Azazel is going to take you to Nephilim."

Slash Dog fished something out of the bag, "A uniform?" He shook the garment for emphasis.

"Nephilim is a school designed by Grigori dedicated for those born with Sacred Gears." Danhauser clicked his tongue, "I couldn't enroll Valerie because of her being half vampire… it would freak out the other students," He even had trouble signing Tobio up since he was a reincarnated devil. Better get ready to become the center of attention.

Valerie brought a finger to her cheek and smiled satirically, "What a shame. And here I was _looking_ forward to making more friends. Ehehehe…"

Danhauser refrained from rolling his eyes.

Tobio pondered aloud, "… Since Azazel knows about the Sacred Gears, maybe he knows a way for me to control my Balance Breaker, right?" He asked, hopeful.

Danhauser's realized Tobio wasn't raising any objections. Now all he had to do was sell his offer, "Obviously," Azazel could figure out a method — he's _Azazel_ after all, "But he won't be your teacher."

Danhauser turned to Siegfried now, "Gilles will be training you."

Unbeknownst by them, Jeanne grabbed her head and hissed.

Meanwhile, the jaw of the silver-haired tightened. _Newsflash_ — There's a strained relationship between Gilles de Rais and Siegfried. They weren't on good terms. Something that half of the Clan already acknowledged.

The next words almost made Siegfried trip over, "Gilles wanted you as his intern."

Siegfried folded his arms, "Did he tell you why?" He asked, curious and suspicious.

"… Aside from refining your swordsmanship, nothing else comes to my mind. You'll have to ask him yourself," Danhauser faced his rook, "You're setting back to the Dragon Mountain and training with your father."

"…" Bova said nothing.

He finally addressed the only females of his nobility with an apologetic look, "… I can't find anyone to train you. If you know who can help just say it."

"Actually I do," Valerie was quick to reply, "… I just need a word with your uncle or your father."

The gray-haired warily nodded and faced Jeanne, "What about you?"

"Can I just stay with Siegfried and… your butler?" Jeanne observed Danhauser's posture stiffening, "… I have to talk to him."

"He told me he didn't want to train you," And it wasn't a lie. While the Queen of his brother was relieved of hearing that Jeanne was still alive and distant of the Church, he didn't want to see her. He didn't know what the Frenchman had in mind, "The time will come."

"Damn it," Jeanne quietly cursed, "… Then plan B it is. I have to make a call… hopefully, it'll work."

"Worth a shot I guess," He pocketed his hands and hesitantly eyed each member of his peerage, "That's… that's about it."

"This is a goodbye I guess," Tobio mumbled out, kicking a random pebble, "It was great while it lasted."

No one was fast enough to share their thoughts. A soft whimper enabling them to do so.

Jeanne reacted first by gasping behind her palms, "Bova… are you crying?"

"I-I DO NOT CRY…!" Bova furiously rubbed his wet eyes, "This is just sweat! Eye sweat!"

The former saint smiled optimistically, "It's okay," She patted the dragon's knee comfortingly, "Just let it all out."

"S-shut up!" The dragon pointed a sharp finger at Danhauser, trying to look tough — not minding the 'sweat' falling from his cheeks, "Four years, isn't it? Fine! I still find this to be stupid but once I come back I'll kick all your asses starting with Siegtard!"

Siegfried scoffed at the remark, "You can try," He taunted, "Shitty rook."

"Shitty knight!"

"You know what? Fuck it! I'll build my own bar," Tobio announced out of nowhere, smirking triumphally, "So, if you guys — you know — wanna pay a visit… You're more than welcome."

Valerie lifted her brow, mildly surprised.

The brunet rolled his eyes in return, "Yeah, even you."

"We could use it as a meeting point," Siegfried suggested.

"Yes! I would love to know each one of you once we reunite!" Jeanne pounded her chest twice, followed by a peace sign, "Let's do our best, my homies!"

Valerie fiddled with her pigtail and averted her gaze with an elegant _hmph_ , "Each one of you was alright — I suppose."

"Tsundere," Danhauser muttered.

"Pardon me?"

"Nothing!" He laughed off Valerie's cynical glare and had the confidence to smile, "This isn't a goodbye, more like a see you later. Don't screw up, idiots."

"Oh! _Oh!_ Oh! I know how we should end this!" Jeanne brought her arms wide open. "Group huuuug!"

[No.]

"Aww…"

* * *

"Are you sure it's a good idea?"

Receiving the same consecutive question for the fourth time with Danhauser Belial while waiting for the train to come made her exhale, "Yes, I'm a hundred percent sure," Valerie Tepes responded assuredly.

It'd been hours since Ikuse Tobio left with Jin to Ryuukou Town, for Siegfried to join Gilles de Rais in the latter's territory somewhere in France _and_ for Bova Tannin to stretch his wings and take off back to his father's mountain. Only the two blonde girls didn't find a teacher. After hours, Valerie had somewhere to go thanks to his father and uncle. However, it wasn't a place that Danhauser liked.

Danhauser tried to minimize his concern by pocketing his hands, "Valerie, I think you should take a seat and think—!"

"I already gave you my answer," She interrupted him, waiting for the train to come.

Danhauser scoffed, "You're not seeing the big picture here," He retorted, "You want to go back to your hometown — _Romania_. Where you passed your whole childhood in a fucking cell and where hybrids are looked down on." And since she's a female, it was an insult to the misogynic vampires for her to walk in the Tepes Castle.

"I appreciate you reminding me of my most treasured moments," While her words dripped with sarcasm, they held a little of truth. She'd met Gasper Vladi there, after all.

"Look, I'm just worried. Thanks to your father and brothers they almost destroyed you emotionally," He looked around for Jeanne's support, then he remembered she was in the mountain house doing her part, "Alright, I've got an idea. Let me have another talk with Azazel. It'll take a few days but maybe I'll convince him. Tobio can keep you company and maybe I could sneak up some bags of blood to sustain your hunger. Sounds good? No, wait! I've got a better idea! How about I —!"

Valerie rolled her eyes, yanked him closer and put a finger over his mouth. "I'm going to be _fine_ ," She said gently, "The Tepes Faction has a partnership with the Lucifuge District in the City of Dis — where your father and uncle work. If they wish to maintain that connection, then they won't lay a finger on me."

The weight lifted from his shoulders. She wasn't wrong. Nonetheless, he wasn't going to put his whole faith in the vampires just because Valerie brought a good statement. He was more than worried— he was afraid. Since the day Valerie had become a pawn, she had transformed into something else in his eyes. It was almost impossible to believe it's the same girl he met back when he had his fight with Rudiger Rosenkreutz.

He didn't want her to go back to square one and become the broken girl she was back in the Tepes Castle.

"You'll be fine?" Danhauser asked, double-checking.

"Totally," She squeezed his arm before building space between them, "I can't tell you why I'm doing this. But rest assured, I won't be slacking off during these four years."

"Alright, I believe in you."

…

…

…

Valerie had a lengthy and rough thought swirling around her head for weeks, the issue was how to undertake it and not make it awkward. In the end, it was better to go straight with it, "After your Clan got punished and marginalized, you seemed to take it very well. I thought you would be more depressed and cry about it," She said and noted the way his jaw clenched.

It was the reaction Valerie was expecting, but she couldn't help but blame herself for provoking this. She had an idea of how to lift his spirits up, but Cleria Belial proposed something else. It was a weird and simple gesture, but she vowed it would work out, Valerie just wanted to know _why_.

"… Tears are not going to make my Clan great once again. I have to act and quick," Danhauser said after a long silence, "Newsflash — I'm a dumbass. Being in the position I am, I should know better." as the future Head of the Belial Clan, his actions reflected the heart of the Clan, one wrong move and the House will be scorned, like now.

"Is this why you sent us to different locations to train? For the looming Youth Gathering?"

Danhauser strained a smile. "Yeah, but from what I've heard, it's very unlikely they'll invite me. Diehauser told me the underworld's going to change from here on, but I won't give up so easily," he said with clenched his fists, "I'll train harder and get my ass kicked by Diehauser along the way. I can't keep messing up like this. I owe it to my family and myself to do better than this because I'm _better_ than this. I just have to give my all."

"… I can't get in that head of yours nor relate with you," Valerie admitted with a grunt, "Moving on. I had a word in private with your cousin before we left the manor."

Danhauser eyed her suspiciously, "… Okay," Whenever Cleria was involved, something pretty bad usually followed.

"I asked her if there was a way to cheer you up," She said, eyebrows furrowed, "Apparently there is. She proposed something else that I still can't fully grasp how _that_ would make someone so thrilled. What I had in mind was offering you multiple wings but—"

"Wait, you can do that?" He asked before facepalming, _"Of course she can… I mean, in the Light Novels vampires turned into dragons because of Sephiroth Graal."_

"Ehehehe..." Valerie giggled. "So, are you interested?"

"Damn right I am!" He quickly spun around and waited for her to do her tricks, "Who wouldn't want more wings?"

Only cool people had multiple wings.

He felt her cold palms pressed over his spine, eliciting a chill out of him. What came next was warmness coming from the Holy Grail, all of it aimed at his pair of sheathed wings. It's like getting a tan on the beach.

"Done," As she took a step back, Danhauser immediately unfurled his wings. She watched the multiples wings with pride and admiration, "From time to time, they'll grow more as a symbol of your powers. How does it feel?"

"Amazing," Danhauser stretched his two pairs of wings and dismissed them, "Thank you, Valerie."

She averted her eyes somewhere else as she toyed with her hair, "Still… I-I can give you what Cleria had planned. I don't mind if it's you."

Danhauser frowned skeptically, now he had a _bad_ feeling about this. Did his cousin take Valerie as her accomplice? "Really now?"

"Of course," She paused, "Also interested?"

Unfortunately, the raucous, metallic shriek heralded the arrival of the carriage.

"Uncle's here," Danhauser realized as the door slid open, revealing, in fact, Malacoda, "Hey, uncle."

"Little D," Malacoda Malebranche winked and beckoned the Dhampir to get inside. "Hop in, bloodsucker. We gotta go fast."

She hurriedly focused on Danhauser once more, "Be quick, what's your answer?"

Danhauser smirked a little, "You _really_ are headstrong about this, aren't you?" He said, placing a hand over his hip, "Seriously, why?"

They stared back at each other for what seemed like hours until she finally grabbed her arm and rubbed it, dropping her gaze, "… Consider this as a way to express my gratitude for everything you've done for me."

"Superb. Corny stuff," Malacoda grumbled and dropped to the ground, tapping impatiently the floor with his barbed tail.

Danhauser ignored him and laughed softly at her words, "And how are you gonna repay me, Little Missus?" He teased her, "With a kiss?"

She never replied and leaned into Danhauser, placing her lips against his own gently. The purely chaste, asexual kiss, had his mind gone hazy — his body became stagnant at the sensation of her lips against his.

Malacoda deadpanned, "Did I just get third wheeled?"

Just as he was about to return in kind, she retreated with a look of discomfiture on her face. "C-Cleria told me this would motivate you," He saw the gentle flush of pink had arisen on her cheeks — it made her look vulnerable, "I'd never understood why that would stimulate someone… I guess I know now. D-did it work?"

Danhauser stared at her incredulously, "I don't think so," He breathed out, "Let's try again."

"Okaaaaaaay!" Malacoda quickly stood up between them, "Cringy romance is over! Se acabo! There's no way in hell I'll get third wheeled again by two horny brats!" He grabbed Valerie by the shoulders and dragged her to the train, tossing her belongings inside with his tail.

"Take care of yourself and Gasper!" Was the last thing he'd heard before the doors shut and the train slowly raised its speed, leaving the station.

Danhauser could only touch his lips and dumbly wave at the retreating transport, "My first kiss," His lips curled up into a triumphant grin, "Feelsgoodman."

He felt a pair of hands squeezing his shoulders, "Feels good, doesn't it?" A mature voice whispered close into his ear.

Danhauser almost fell down, inching away from the pink-haired woman, "Watch it! You shouldn't sneak up to a man like that!"

Roygun Belphegor snorted in amusement, "Sorry, kid," She lazily thumbed at the person next to her, "It was her plan."

He decided to spare a glance at the second figure and missed a heartbeat, "… Fuck."

 _Cleria_ watched with hands on her slim waist, her chest puffed upwards and a stupid grin across her face that promised torment.

That was a warning for him to run.

He took a step back, hand raised defensively, "Cleria, don't—!" His cousin tackled him into a crushing, almost bone-breaking hug.

"It worked! It worked!" she squealed, "My Danny finally got his first tongue kiss~!"

"Congratulations," Roygun winked at him, "Attaboy."

"G-get off me weirdo!" He struggled but finally shoved her away, his cheeks hot as he stood up, "We never _tongued kiss_ you, idiot! It was just a simple peck on the lips with no feelings behind it!" He felt a small sting, but it was the truth.

"Liar!" Cleria dramatically pointed at him, "Lies! _Deception!_ You two were literally _melting_ while making out!" She wiggled her eyebrows and nudged his ribs, "I betcha were turned on~!"

"I wasn't," He denied, "Why you tell her to kiss me? Clearly, she never understood what she did!"

"Now she does!" Cleria huffed and folded her arms with a pout, "You're _welcome_ , by the way."

"Why should I thank you?"

"For improving your relationship with your girlfriend."

Danhauser fought the urge to groan, "W-we're _not_ … dating."

"Huh-huh," Roygun approached and gently lifted his chin, "Then explain why you have a mark caused by a bite? By the looks of it, it wasn't a one-time thing."

He pushed her hand and covered the bite, "She was hungry and I offered her my blood," He explained dryly, "Now can we get back home or are you two gonna keep ruining my day?"

Cleria smiled shyly and wrapped him into a soothing hug, "Not until I show you my gratitude," She whispered, "I never had the chance to thank you for what you did back there in Kuoh. You were amazing. Reckless, but amazing."

After seconds of hesitation, he relaxed and returned the gesture, "Well, that's what family is for, yeah?" They stayed quiet for a while, "…I'll clean the name of our Clan. I swear. I just… I just need some time."

"I know you will. You and Diehauser are the pride of the Belial family," Tightening her grip, her lips fought a mischevious smirk, "Y'know, you looked _really_ manly as you left to stop Touji and his group… now I get why they call you Dan _the_ Man."

He froze with his cousin still in his arms. He didn't dare to meet her eyes. "…H-how?"

Cleria laughed genuinely while separating from a baffled Danhauser, "Y-you thought you could hide it from m-me?! Everyone in the Clan knows about it! Diehauser and I never had the time to embarrass you after all the depressing stuff," She paused, grinning, "Dan the Man."

"…" Danhauser said nothing.

Roygun almost joined the laughter if it wasn't by her hand muffling any merry noise, "That's the worst nickname I've heard of!" She snickered, "Who came up with that? Malacoda?"

"…" Danhauser still said nothing.

"Oh my? Downcast already?" Roygun cooed and mockingly puckered her lips, "Perhaps another kiss will do~?"

" _Hooray. Another teaser. Right, what I needed,"_ He wished the earth would swallow him up at this point. Worst of all was the realization that Danhauser was going to live with two beautiful women in Kuoh Town. Under the same roof. Without his servants for mental support.

Then again, no one told him he would get away with it so easily. Plus, a lot of people would commit murder to be in his shoes.

He just had to suck it up and follow Valerie's motto to the letter — adaptability was the key.

…

He wondered how his teammates were doing.

"Is Diehauser back?" Danhauser asked.

"Yup," Cleria bobbed her head with a knowing look, "Let me guess, training time?"

"You know it," He stretched a little bit, "Can't waste more time anymore."

"Alright!" Cleria said with resolve, "Let's get ourselves beaten into a pulp!"

Danhauser's eyebrow went up, "… Are you going to train, too?"

"Well, yeah…" She fidgeted a little, "Not with Diehauser and you. I'll just slow you guys down."

"With who then?" He turned to Roygun, getting a 'nope' from her and realized something, "I thought you hated training."

"I asked your mother," Cleria replied, "It's just… I'm tired of being the princess in distress of the family. I know I can't keep up with you two, but, y'know…"

Danhauser laughed a little as Cleria glared at him, "Let's just get back home."

The two women raised no objections.

* * *

"Tired?" Ruval Phenex smiled at his sister, who jerked awake with a start, and stared weirdly at him.

"No, I'm fine," She yawned, rubbing her eyes fiercely.

"Are you sure…?" He poked her sweaty cheek lightly.

"Don't do that," She pushed his finger away and cleaned the sweat off her temple.

"Liar," He muttered, which earned a pout.

"I don't need sleep!" Ravel Phenex retorted, "I can't! Lord Danhauser needs me more than ever!"

That made the strongest heir sigh. The _Diehauser Belial Broadcast Intrusion_ went obviously viral through the social media, Ravel had the dishonor to gawk at it. The fact that how the press kept throwing rotten tomatoes to the Bael and Belial Clan made the blonde lose her temper. She demanded to double up her training, Ruval was reluctant at first but accepted. She didn't last too long.

Ravel was extremely physically unfit and incapable, having no bodily coordination, a lack of stamina and surprisingly low muscular strength. Luckily, her prowess in magical arts was good. Especially her control over wind rather than her fire.

While he respected her determination to clean Danhauser Belial's name, as her eldest brother, he refused to let her die from exhaustion, "Devils need sleep too," Ruval protested, wrapping the blankets around her. He started to pet her head rhythmically, as she tried to slip from his grasp. "Go to sleep!" He kept smiling at her annoyed expression.

"Stooop!" Ravel whined, "He needs my help!"

Ruval ignored her.

* * *

Siegfried could only hear his own thoughts rambling for several moments after listening what Gilles de Rais had to talk about the elephant in the room.

"You heard me right. You're his right hand."

His answer stuck right at Siegfried's core, any hostility had been washed away from his body. He gawped to watch the butler approach and stab Gram on the floor.

He wasn't expecting the Frenchman that despised each bone of his body to put him in such a position.

"You're his first servant and he still hasn't acquired a Queen yet," He heard Gilles's explanation, drawing him back to reality, "I heard it even from the individual himself, always bestowing you leadership whenever he's absent."

Siegfried violently shook his head and took Gram off the ground, "That's why you're training me."

"More than that," Gilles sharp gaze wandered over Siegfried who was staring intently at the demonic sword, "Young Master is the target of threatening figures. I need you capable enough to hold yourself against potential enemies for the sake of Young Master."

The fact that Diehauser Belial couldn't come even when Danhauser Belial was in a critical situation proved how much they needed this intense training. Not even with Gilles' aid, could they turn the tables around in their favor. That's why Gilles liked the idea implemented by the Heir of Belial. Sure, in four years they won't become Maou-Class — not even Danhauser — but if they worked together, they could put Satanael in a tight spot.

But he was straying the subject now, what came next couldn't stop Gilles from glowing like a Christmas tree

"Aside from that, I've seen your file and my, my, so _much_ black ink..." Siegfried's expression made Gilles chuckle, "I'm impressed. You made entire supernatural creatures _'disappear'_. You are even categorized as ' _hyper-lethal'_ by the Vatican Headquarters. There are only _two_ Church warriors with _that_ rating. One of them was able to corner a Cadre during the Second World War."

Siegfried's head quickly turned to the French butler, "… How?"

Gilles waved off his worries, "This information came from former workers of the Orthodox Church. It remains unknown how they were fired. What matters is how your achievements earned you fame and epithets between your previous peers and foes."

"…Where are you getting at."

"Every nickname tells a story, _Chaos-Edge Sieg_ ," Gilles grinned eloquently, "… All I am saying is that — personality-wise — we may not be different as I thought we were, heh."

A dangerous laugh fled from Siegfried's mouth, "Watch it, old man. Don't compare me to you, you sick bastard."

"Heh. Of course. Whatever helps you sleep tight tonight," Gilles also laughed a bitter one, "Now, any last questions before we begin?"

"… Why you didn't intern Jeanne?" Siegfried asked and noted how the Frenchman's expression switched from amusement to annoyance. He wanted to hear the excuses from the man who fought alongside the Maiden of Orléans — Joan of Arc.

"Why I didn't take Joan is none of your business," Gilles gave his cold response before summoning a sword, "This is where you'll live for the next four years. Some days I'll leave to do my duty as the butler of the Clan Belial. Whether you wish to train by yourself while I'm absent is up to you. Now come, show me what made you be known as 'Chaos-Edge Sieg'."

Siegfried growled and pointed Gram at him, "Fine. If this is going to help my master in any way then I accept your challenge, Bluebeard."

* * *

It was Ikuse's Tobio first day at his new school — Nephilim. The hallways seemed busier by students and a few adults that Tobio theorized were the fallen angels — their teachers. As he kept walking on the dark marble floors and white walls he now understood why Danhauser Belial hated attention so much. The crowds, the judgmental stares, and the murmuring were putting him on the edge already.

Then again, it must be their first time seeing a reincarnated devil accompanied by a huge wolf, a cute girl and the goofy Governor-General acting as their guide. Such sight deserved some attention from the confused students.

Tobio could only stare back both in awe and annoyance. His future workmates were wearing the same uniform he and Toujou Sae had. What engrossed him were the Sacred Gears few of them were displaying. A boy with a gauntlet similar to Siegfried, a girl who could weave shadows just like Valerie Tepes and someone who had a mirror floating at their side.

While they were weak compared to his Longinus, it was amazing to see so many Sacred Gear users sheltered in one place.

"Who are they?" One of them asked, snapping Tobio back to reality.

"New students?"

"Why is the boy releasing a demonic aura?"

"That animal is his Sacred Gear…?"

"He certainly is cute…"

Azazel laughed and Sae glared at whoever said that.

To their luck, the lunch bell rang and the students raced past them in an effort to get their lunch first and not be stuck on the queues.

"Huh, look at them go!" Azazel whistled, "And here I thought the food here was crap."

Tobio hunched his back and facepalmed, "Man, this is going to be a _long_ day."

 **[What are you doing? You're making us look bad!]** The voice in his head straightened him back, **[That's better. A king should always walk with his head held high.]**

"W-who said that?!" The brunet's head fiercely looked around, "Show yourself!"

 **[Tobio, over here,]** Tobio's eyes darted to his own shadow, slowly taking the shape of a werewolf with red, glowing eyes. What the… **[Hey.]**

Just as Sae was about to reach for his hand, Azazel grabbed her shoulder — stopping her, "Leave them," She heard the man said, "Let's just wait for them."

"Them?" She tilted her head in confusion but received no answer from the Fallen Angel. Still, she complied.

Meanwhile, Tobio had his nose wrinkled in deep thought, "You're…" he snapped his fingers in realization, "Lycaon!"

 **[Yeah.]**

Tobio accusingly pointed at his own shadow, or, rather, at Lycaon, "You son of a bitch! It's because of you I almost killed all of my—!"

 **[Stop talking aloud,]** Lycaon interrupted him, **[You look stupid.]**

The brunet quickly zipped his mouth, but still held his warning glare, _"What's your fucking problem? Attacking my friends for no reason!? I don't give a damn about the 'Lycaon madness'! You were doing great fighting Satanael until you lunged at boss and his peerage!"_

 **[I never had an issue against our allies,]** Lycaon retorted, **[They just stood in our way. It's not our fault that they were close to our prey.]**

The brunet frowned, _"…Was boss your target?"_

 **[Yeah,]**

"…Why?"

 **[A king never bows to another king,]** The werewolf quoted, **[He's the King of a peerage we're forced to serve. We are the King of Wolves. If we're going to kneel before someone, then that person must be worthy to follow. Simple as that.]**

" _And your plan was attempting murder?"_

Tobio saw the shadow nodding, **[But we were defeated by him. He proved himself to be stronger than us.]**

" _So what now? Are you on the good side now?"_ Tobio scoffed at the thought.

The werewolf stared, **[Four years isn't it?]** The question made Tobio frown, but Lycaon didn't care, **[Four years to master Canis Lykaon. Fine then. We will help. We will not cause harm.]**

Tobio would expect to be relieved by the answer, but his snort showed his true feelings. _"Why should I believe you?"_

 **[Why shouldn't you?]**

" _Because you're batshit crazy!"_

 **[False.]**

" _Weren't you the one who fed Zeus your_ own _son?!"_ Tobio almost snapped. He had the time to search about Lycaon's background, what he'd found wasn't family friendly.

 **[Just a prank that Zeus took seriously,]** Lycaon said in a matter of fact tone, **[Besides, he brought our son back to life. No one was harmed that day.]**

"… _Not sure if you're trolling or not,"_ Tobio waited for any excuse from Lycaon, only seeing his shadow molding back to normal, "And he's gone…"

Azazel pushed himself off the wall, "How did it go? Given your facial expressions, I don't think progress was any good."

Tobio massaged his temple, "Believe it or not. He said he won't cause any trouble," His answer shocked Sae and Azazel, "…He's also _way_ different from what I expected."

He expected to Lycaon to be a psychopath, battle-maniac, speaking in a vulgar manner and mentally insane. What he'd received was something that reminded him a little of Bova Tannin. He was chill, blunt and somewhat laconic. Tobio felt cheated.

Then again, Lycaon could be putting up an act.

 **[We aren't.]**

" _Shut up already,"_ Tobio grunted.

Azazel scratched his hair with a sigh, "Hard to believe given his past."

"I think it's better to put some faith in him," Sae suggested, "It makes no sense to hold a grudge on someone who's going to be with you for the rest of your life."

 **[Finally, someone with a working brain.]**

Tobio folded his arms with a scowl, "…I'll do my best, I guess."

Azazel ruffled his hair, "Good thinking. Nonetheless, if Lycaon tries anything funny then we'll just have to counterattack," He swirled and left the group with a wave, "Gotta go! Don't start a harem, Slash Dog!"

"What," Sae said flatly.

"W-wait We don't know where to go yet!" That's when Sae tugged his sleeve to catch his attention, "Huh? What is it — oh," He saw they were behind a door. He didn't even try to read the plaque that was written on a different language — simply twisting the knob.

The classroom was so warm after the wintry chill they faced back in Ryuukou Town. It also held fewer desks and chairs to be considered a classroom. By its professional appearance, it looked to be focused for those who are already in university. Even in the Supernatural World getting graduated was important it seems.

Tobio's eyes fixated over the lonely man sitting on the teacher's desk, looking longingly at the picture in his hand, "Uh, hello?" He knocked on the door and the gruff-looking man alarmingly perked up, his sharp gaze made the new students flinch.

"A-are we interrupting or something?" Sae stuttered, "T-the Governor-General took us here."

Tobio saw the shock register on his face before he could play it with a welcoming smile. The black-haired man left his seat while pocketing the picture in his hands, calmly approaching them. "W-who are you?" Tobio only knew this was a Fallen Angel perhaps on par with Satanael.

The Cadre stopped and placed his hands over the brunet's shoulders, "I'm Baraqiel — Cadre of the Grigori," His smile extended slightly, "And most importantly, I'm your uncle-in-law."

The brunet was left stunned as the name bounced inside his skull. Even Sae couldn't speak properly.

Baraqiel chuckled at their reactions, "I wish to know more about my nephew-in-law, but we can save that for later," His expression hardened, "Azazel told me everything. Four years should be enough to make you a top fighter here in Nephilim and perhaps Grigori as a whole. The question is, are you ready?"

Shaking his head violently, Tobio bowed in respect, "We're under your care. Please, make us strong."

Jin howled.

And thus, Slash Dog was born.

* * *

Sweat trickled down Bova Tannin's scales as he'd blocked another strike from his eldest brother. He released a growl, cocked a balled fist, and punched his cheekbone, flaying his brother's neck backward like a willow caught in the wind.

The first son stumbled, nearly falling atop his second brother, "What the hell!" The eldest brother cried out, regaining his balance, "How did you get this strong?!"

It wasn't a big surprise that his brothers and father were impeding further passage to the Dragon Mountain. In truth, it was his father who wanted to meet him privately but the brothers hand something else in mind. A tactic that had backfired them.

"Intense training," Bova blew smoke from his nostrils and glared at the strongest dragon in the mountain — his father, "Bosshauser told you everything, right?" He cracked his knuckles, slowly regaining his stamina, "Let's get into it."

Tannin nodded at his other children, "Go back to the mountain, keep an eye on our people."

The first and second sons of Tannin shared glances before reluctantly soaring back to the mountain.

Finally, Tannin turned to his youngest offspring with folded arms, "Yes, he did. You don't seem to be happy about this."

…

Bova's shoulders slumped, "… Am I that easy to read?"

"Like an open book," Tannin said, "I'm your father. Now, tell me what's frustrating you."

"… Are we really _that_ weak that we need help from other people?" Bova grumbled, slapping with his tail the nearest pebble, "Why can't we stay and become strong together as a team?"

Tannin hummed, catching on, "Does Danhauser Belial knows about this?"

"About what?" Bova frowned, "About how stupid his plan is?"

"No," Tannin shook his head, "That you miss them already."

"Me?! Miss them?!" Bova forced a laugh, puffing his chest, "Why would I miss them?!"

"Because they're your only friends, especially Danhauser Belial."

"T-they are not! A dragon doesn't need friends! They're just my rivals!"

Tannin refrained from rolling his eyes and cut the chase, "If you don't agree with him, then don't do it. Go back to Danhauser Belial and stay there. Just be ready to face the consequences."

Bova stayed quiet and glared down at his clenched fist. _A dragon does what he pleases_ , that was how Tannin pictured the culture of dragons in general. Bova could just go back to the House Mountain and stay there with Danhauser Belial. But his king did everything he could to contact multiple figures to watch over their training and the peerage were doing their part by following orders.

Disobeying would not only disappoint Danhauser but shatter their friendship as well.

At this time, a beautiful blue-haired woman geared in a leather jacket and jeans walked away from a magic circle. The Dragons faced the new face.

"Granny!" Bova beamed up like a Christmas tree, "You're back!"

Tiamat smiled faintly and waved at the young dragon, "It's good to see you again, Bova."

"As I live and breathe," Tannin nodded at the Dragon King, "Long time no see Tiamat. I wasn't expecting a visit from you."

"Why? Am I no longer welcomed to your mountain, Tannin?" Tiamat cocked an eyebrow at the Dragon Meteor.

Tannin grunted, "Of course you are. But you always disliked mountains and open places."

"I always fancied caves," She agreed with a shrug, "Can't handle all the noise coming from the surface."

The purple dragon chuckled knowingly, "Only you can happily stay in your cave for days without venturing outside."

"I feel the liberty to do what I want in my cave."

"Like exercising?" Of all the Dragon Kings, Tiamat was the one Tannin respected the most. While she's the most introvert and greedy of the Dragon Kings, she was praised as the strongest amongst them. She kept pushing her boundaries through intense training. There wasn't a single day where the blue-haired would not be coated in sweat. She was the training-maniac of the Dragon Kings.

Tiamat nodded, "Like exercising," She gestured at Bova while pocketing her hands, "Am I interrupting something?"

"Right," Tannin addressed his hatchling with a stern look, "What's your answer?"

…

…

…

Tannin watched his son slowly drifting away, "I doubt you're here to fight, Tiamat," He turned around and walked back to the Dragon Mountain.

"Maou Beelzebub sent me here," Tiamat informed, following, "He's hiring the remaining Top Ten to administer the Rating Game Executive Committee. Interested?"

Tannin paused to spare her a confused look, "Huh. Caught me off guard," The dragon confessed, arms folded, "Is Diehauser in there?"

"Of course," She brushed a stray bit of pale, blue hair, "The Champion is going to be the President of the Committee."

"What about you? Getting promoted?" Tannin knew that Tiamat had a role behind the Rating Games. She was a secret judge and administrator. It was baffling how easily she easily shared him that secret, something that Tiamat didn't seem to care if he knew — neither Ajuka Beelzebub had shown concern on the matter.

"I'll be on the meetings as an honorary president," Tiamat replied with a sigh, "Mostly to keep the Maou Beelzebub updated."

"I suppose you want my answer now," Tannin heard Tiamat humming, "I guess I could—"

A roar interrupted their conversation. Tannin calmly spun around and effortlessly caught both upcoming punches, submitting the attacker on a knee. "…If you wish to take me by surprise, you should do it quietly," He rebuked his son.

"Only a coward would do that!" Bova tried to keep his ground by pushing all his weight to his father, but no avail, "A true dragon fights face to face…!"

"…Well said!" Tannin praised with a feral look as the ground beneath his son cracked. He headbutted Bova and punched his stomach. The impact made his child sharply cough and crash into a row of trees.

The two adults watched the rook unsteadily pick himself up, shoving away any trunk that laid atop of him.

Resting both hands on his knees, Bova drew shallow breaths, "I'll… I'll stick to Bosshauser's plan and surpass Albion and Ddraig," The dragon found himself grinning fearlessly, despite the blood from his mouth, "But first, I think I have a bone to pick with the Dragon Kings!"

Tiamat blinked owlishly and laughed softly, "Are you challenging us, Bova?"

"He is," Tannin's mouth twitched and Tiamat was quite sure he was fighting a smile. The Dragon Meteor released a roar and charged with his son quickly following suit.

Tiamat observed from afar the two beasts clashing with Tannin getting the upper hand. She knew it would take time for the two to vent off their fervor. After all, Tannin was a battle-maniac and his three children weren't so different from him.

"The apple does not fall far from the tree," She sighed and took off her leather jacket, tossing it aside. Punching the air a few times, she dropped to the floor and begun her push-ups.

* * *

"Jeanne, we're here," The farm truck slowed down and came to a stop, snapping the former saint out of her daydreaming, "Welcome home little lamb."

Jeanne switched her attention to the current scenery, so this will be her home for years. It felt nostalgic to return where her life in the supernatural began, no doubt when the time comes to go she'll feel a wrench to leave.

She glanced behind her shoulder as the humongous driver left the vehicle. Taking a cue from him, she unlocked the door and jumped down.

"Nothing has changed since I left," Jeanne noted the farmhouse was as tired as the landscape. It slept there in somber greys amid the green that had sunken into a bleak hue. Hay bales lie scattered and far ahead of the crop.

She felt an immense weight atop her head, glancing up she saw a hand big enough to twist someone's head off like a bottle cap. Its owner was a giant made of only muscles. Despite his inhumane and intimidating appearance, this old man had a compassionate and gentle heart.

This was the Cardinal Priest of the Vatican — Your Eminence Vasco Strada.

"Just as you left," Vasco ruffled her hair and thumbed at his trustworthy vehicle, "You go ahead, I'll handle your possessions."

Jeanne was about to protest, but the white-haired elder laughed fondly and waved off her concerns, walking to the back of his old truck.

Sighing, Jeanne moved onwards, resting one hand on the gate that blocked the yard, considering what lay inside. Either way, she'll stay here for four years and Vasco confirmed that nothing had changed since her absence.

She unlocked it and carried on, lost in her thoughts. She had returned once again to Europe, the exile of the Church notwithstanding. The fact that the Angels didn't lift a finger made her a worried mess, but Vasco assured her that nothing bad will happen to her. As long as she never approached the Vatican and the headquarters didn't find out about her whereabouts.

She stood at the entrance of the farmhouse, she kneeled and lifted the welcome carpet to pick up the key underneath. To her surprise, the key was missing.

"What…?" She gasped as the door suddenly opened by two familiar characters, "David? T-Touji?! W-what are you two doing here?!"

"I invited them," Jeanne spun to see Vasco stomping over the wooden steps, his expression now grim, "They told me everything you did in Kuoh… a lot of things arose while you were gone."

"There was a coup in the Vatican," David Serro said before Jeanne could react, "…The people were fed up and everything became chaos in a matter of seconds."

Jeanne covered her mouth, eyes wide, "Was… was it because I was exiled?"

"Yes," Shidou Touji nodded weakly, letting them inside, "…But also because there wasn't any update of the missing nuns, holy maidens and the mysterious disappearance of Chaos-Edge Sieg."

David winced but said nothing.

"Your banishment was the last straw that broke the camel's back," Vasco laid Jeanne's belongings near the entrance, "There were many wounded, but with the assistance of Dulio and his Longinus, we succeeded in calming down the mob."

David tiredly fell on a chair, massaging his forehead, "It was horrible and tiring," He mumbled, "Thank God that was it."

Vasco sighed, "Unfortunately, that's where you're wrong, David."

All eyes were set on the Cardinal Priest. Jeanne nervously gulped before asking, "W-what is it?"

Vasco had a solemn look as he separated from the group, "Joan of Arc is no longer a saint."

"What?!" Touji cried out.

"…" Jeanne wore a blank face, her eyes covered by blonde bangs.

"W-when did that happen?!" David demanded.

"During the outcome of the siege in the Vatican, there was a meeting between the Cardinals, the higher-ups and the Pope," Vasco climbed upstairs, "They had to formulate an excuse for your ousting. I downright refused, but... It wasn't enough."

As the Apex of Humanity disappeared on the second floor for untold reasons, Touji shook his head, displeased, "How could they?"

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," David muttered bitterly, arms folded.

"Now Joan of Arc is seen as a figure connected to the Devil," They heard Vasco's voice somewhere from the upper floor, "Belial to be precise."

David narrowed his eyes. "How convenient," He snarkily said, "How did they even figured out members of the Belial Clan were present in Kuoh Town?"

The only people who knew about the identities of the Devils were the exorcists working under Touji and Jeanne's bodyguards which consisted of David and Freed Sellzen.

After recalling of his previous deeds, Touji pinched his nose, "My report," He chuckled incredulously, "After Eminence Cristaldi dismissed my group, he told me to compose a report, regardless if the mission wasn't successful."

David opened his mouth — ready to curse — but stopped after taking a look over the silent blonde. "…Jeanne?"

Jeanne turned slowly and trained her ears for any comforting sound. Only her accelerated heartbeat. For the first time since the journey began her face was completely fallen — no mask of coping left. She bit her quivering lip, eyes wet, "A-again...! This is my fucking fault! I-I had to fuck it up!"

It wasn't about the fame. Jeanne knew it when she had a mouthful spoon of it the moment her existence rose in ranks. She disliked it. What she loathed most was how the higher-ups wrongfully blamed her role model, how the Vatican gave the cold shoulder over her heroic accomplishments for a single mistake she'd committed.

Touji and David could only remorsefully watch the sobbing girl wiping her endless tears angrily.

"I could only rescue this," The two swirled to see Vasco finally joining them, carrying something in his huge hands, "They quickly removed everything that belonged and depicted Joan of Arc from the Church. Her armor, alleged relics — _everything_ about her was disposed... I'm so sorry."

"A banner," David nonchalantly studied the standard on the Cardinal Priest's grasp until his eyes widened in recognition, "T-that's the one that—!"

"Joan of Arc's holy battle flag that she kept by her side all her life," Vasco kneeled in front of the weeping blonde, offering the relic, "I want you to keep it."

She whipped her head back and forth between the flag in her hands and Vasco's wrinkled face, "A-are you sure…?" She sniffed out, "…E-even if I sold my humanity to the Devil?"

To prove her point, she sprouted her pair of bat wings and expected the gasps of horror and disappointment. To her surprise, she was proven wrong.

Vasco just smiled and mopped a long tear with one of his fingers, "Jeanne...If you come from God, I do not fear you …If you come from the Devil, I fear you even less."

Jeanne's emotions went through different phases of shock and happiness before finally setting with a confident nod, "I-I'll clean Joan's name. Whatever it takes."

"… Tomorrow we will begin your training," Vasco said after ruffling her hair proudly, "And since you'll be staying here for a while, I expect you to wake up early to help by harvesting our crops, grease up the equipment and tractors and other activities."

The blonde couldn't contain her excitement any longer and brought her arms upwards, "Fuck yeah, my dawgs!"

Everyone stared.

Jeanne paled at their judgmental stares and awkwardly fist pumped, "Um, I mean, h-hooray…?"

"… I see your old self is still there," Vasco muttered and left to the kitchen, "I'll handle the cooking. Later we'll unpack all your stuff in your new room."

"No one will know about Jeanne's presence in Europe. We're going to stay quiet about this," David vowed to them, "What happens in this house, _stays_ in this house."

"Totally," Touji agreed.

"Grazie," Vasco said from the kitchen.

Jeanne gave a thankful nod before facing Touji, "… I don't know where Masaomi went," She responded, reading Touji's mind like an open book, "… I tried to stop him, but he ignored me."

"I see," Touji looked somewhere else. "I pray to God he's alright…"

…

…

…

"I'm so sorry," He regretfully said, "I never wanted to shoot you but…"

"It's alright," Jeanne smiled faintly, "Dan saved me there."

The name made Touji chuckled, "I never expected a Devil of all things to protect a saint and Masaomi. Maybe I was wrong… not _all_ Devils are as bad as the Bible wrote them to be."

David's eyebrows went up as Touji kneeled, "Go on. You know what to do, Jeanne."

The blonde looked away from Touji to her own fist, weighing her options.

…

…

…

She flickered his forehead.

Touji blinked a few times before meeting her pure eyes.

She stuck her tongue out, "I told you so!" She chided him.

He swore he'd heard smugness slipping from her voice.

* * *

Valerie Tepes had her future all sorted out. She was going to sit still for decades on end and wait for her body to rot in her cell. She was convinced she was going to stay locked until she was old. She had accepted it. She was willing to embrace her fate. But then, like a guardian angel — straight out of a storybook — Malacoda Malebranche came along and brought her to the Clan Belial.

She'd never revealed her intentions of why she returned to Romania. Aside from the training that she vowed to Danhauser Belial, she wanted to fill an empty gap that clutched her from the insides whenever she'd watched the Peerage working harder. She did her part within Danhauser's nobility, of course, she did. She was the support of the team, healing and immobilizing enemies from afar.

" _It all started when Danhauser found Gasper,"_ She smiled a little at the memory but quickly frowned, _"But still… It was me who should have rescued Gasper, not Danhauser,"_ She was thankful of Danhauser's act of kindness. But in a way, he took her ambition. The only thing that kept her thinking she had a function in this world aside of holding three stupid Holy Grails.

She wasn't like them. They were training vigorously for something personal while she wasn't. She felt distant from her teammates and she despised that.

Maybe she wouldn't be fumbling if Malacoda hadn't rescued her from her prison. If she was still imprisoned, crumbling away where her purpose was simple — being Marius Tepes' rat lab for the rest of her life. Her cynical consciousness had believed that was the cause behind her birth until she met Danhauser. Since then, she became uncertain of her views and saw herself into an endless limbo.

She could only think that she's just like any other living being. One that you can find anywhere, worthlessly and frantically trying to stay alive. So just like they breathed their last breath, she guessed that she will surely perish as they did.

That's why — before her dying moments — she wanted to know.

" _Just who the hell am I?"_

"Keep staring, my beautiful daughter," A familiar voice cooed, "I may do a trick."

Regaining her senses, she glared at the man slouched on his throne. Her father — Draculea Tepes — donned in his black armor, stared back with boredom and amusement. Her eldest brother — Marcus Tepes — loyally stood at his side. In the Throne Room was filled by a lot of guardians and those modified werewolves, but before any of the warriors could react to her presence, her father dismissed them and quickly did they obey. Angering their King was a fool's gambit.

"I presume Matanbuchus explained to you why I decided to stay here?" Valerie asked after a cold silence, "Or do I have to do the honors, father?"

"Of course he did," Draculea sported a sardonic smirk, "You missed your old man, correct?"

Valerie scoffed, "Of course, father. Of course."

"Ehehehe…" Valerie cringed. She hated that laugh, "I'm just trying to lighten the mood. But yes, he told me you're seeking my guidance to become strong, is that it?"

Valerie nodded.

"Though, he never explained why _you_ desire to become strong," Draculea rested one elbow on the armrest, his hand tucked neatly under his chin, "It must be quite the tale, after all, you're also a Devil now. Go on. Explain."

As much as she strongly disliked her father, she couldn't deny he was a powerful and smart king. His name was feared by the Carmilla Faction and possibly the Church. Then again, the fear may come from his way of torturing his adversaries. Not for something he's nicknamed as The Impaler.

There are Vampires that had shown abilities rivaling Ultimate-Class Devils or — extremely rare occasions — even Satan-Class are commonly known as _Nosferatu_. It was the highest rank a Vampire could achieve. Her father and the Queen of Carmilla were one of the few Vampires classified as such. The perfect teacher she could ask.

She defensively crossed her arms, "There's no need of a story," She spat out, "I just decided to follow him. That's it."

Draculea's eyes widened a little, "And here I thought he forced you to serve him," He was colored impressed, to say the least, "Now I'm really _dying_ to know who this _Devil_ is…"

"As if you didn't know who my King is," Valerie knew his father wouldn't push aside the fact that his Faction had lost their great power. At least he would collect information about her whereabouts.

"Just tiny bits," Draculea waved off her qualms, "All I know is that your King is the son of Matanbuchus Belial, isn't it?"

Valerie glared daggers. While she didn't reply directly, her body language did for her.

"Interesting. Then it means his relative must be Malacoda Malebranche," Draculea said aloud, mostly to himself. From the time he had stopped around the City of Dis — Lucifuge District to be precise — he'd heard that he was married to a woman named Calcabrina Belial — née Malebranche — sister of _Malacoda_ himself.

The Devil who'd wiped out Marius and the many armies of modified werewolves and traitors. All by himself. Enough to earn his sincere respect of himself and members of the Tepes Faction.

Whoever Valerie chose to follow had the genes of a _Belial_ and a _Malebranche_. He couldn't waste this opportunity. Draculea had to take advantage of this miracle.

With a self-satisfied smirk, Draculea slowly left his throne and shambled off to his only daughter. The more he neared, the more his appearance became ragged and poorly conceived as the skin around his face considerably became saggy and shapeless. He hunched his back until a pair of _insectoid_ wings forcibly shot free.

Valerie could only watch in disgust as the 3-meter tall insect shed off her father's body and stretched his six limbs and a fearsome set of razor-sharp fangs with a mad grin. His resemblance didn't differentiate to that of a cockroach. Hence his epithet — Draculea the Cockroach.

Metamorphosis. That's how they named the transformation available only to Vampires — this was the _'True Form'_ of Vampires. Draculea and the Queen of Carmilla — Sheridan Carmilla — were the only ones with great mastery over it, capable of _fully_ becoming an insect.

To classify them as Vampires was an insult. The King of Tepes and Queen of Carmilla were grotesque mockeries of reality beyond comprehension.

" **I told you, didn't I…?"** Her father cupped her cheek, his antennas playfully poking her face, **"Stare and I may show you a** _ **trick**_ **."**

As much she desired to smack his hand away, she couldn't. Metamorphosis made the user an insect or arachnid of darkness and shadows, thus making their body intangible. Only a Maou or Queen Carmilla could push her father under the webs.

Valerie averted her gaze as her breath hitched, "W-what do you want?"

" **Your full honesty,"** Draculea forcefully turned her face back at him, **"This…** _ **Devil**_ **, what does he mean to you?"**

The question made Valerie instinctively touch her lips as the memory repeated right before her eyes.

Draculea witnessed her conflicted expression and snickered. _Perfect_. He finally freed her from his grasp and walked back to his seat, **"We will begin tomorrow in the morning. Until then, get some rest."**

Valerie violently shook her head and regarded her father with a narrowed eyes. Watching him snap his fingers as shadows around the throne room enveloped his monstrous figure until he was inside a dark cocoon. Seconds later, the shadows dispersed and revealed her father back in his vampiric form. How he wore back his black armor and cloak was a mystery.

"Marcus," Draculea addressed his quiet, eldest son, "Be a good son and take your sister to her appointed room."

The obedient son bowed in respect and gestured at the exit, "After you, Valerie."

"Such a gentleman," Valerie jeered at him after leaving, Marcus following suit.

The ambience between them was cold — they weren't even blinking — just keeping their eyes on the corridor as if it whispered secrets to them.

Marcus decided to speak, "I'm glad you're safe, Valerie," He meant it, "It's also great to see you somewhere else aside from your dungeon."

Her mouth opened to reply, but quickly zipped it and frowned.

"It's shocking you decided to join a Peerage," Marcus kept the conversation rolling, "After what you passed through, I thought you'd threaten anyone who would get close to you. You trust him."

Valerie glared at his direction, "It's the least I could do after everything he'd done for me," Her hard look unconsciously softened, almost bashful, "He… he became someone important to me." She'd think being a Longinus User would have given her terrible karma, but, Danhauser appeared.

" _Great,"_ The Dhampir inwardly groaned, _"These honeyed words are making me vomit."_

"So you _do_ have a boyfriend," He stated, shocked.

"I have five boyfriends, and it is little business of yours," She said venomously and scowled when Marcus stared at her incredulously, "What now?"

"I said _boyfriend,_ not _boy friends_ ," He slowly said for her to comprehend.

"… I'm afraid I can't see the difference," It didn't do the trick, apparently.

"You know what sex is but you have no idea what a _boyfriend_ is?" Marcus laughed in disbelief, "You're being sarcastic, right?"

"Apologies, dear brother," Valerie sneered, "My whole childhood involved listening to Marius' concubines moaning from my dungeon and being forced to overuse my Longinus. Good times."

Marcus pursed his lips, "I'm sorry Valerie, I didn't mean to open old wounds."

"Too late."

Once again, it was complete silence that Marcus didn't dare to disturb. Luckily for the Vampire, they already reached their destination, "This is your room," He awkwardly gestured at the door, "Your stuff is also inside… If you wish to talk with someone, then my doors are always open for you, sister."

"I see."

"… Take care."

…

…

…

"Not even a day and I already want to disappear," Valerie grumbled on the spot, "… I'm trying, I really do. But I can't really open up to them. Just by looking at his face… it brings unpleasant memories."

Another reason she wanted to return to Romania was how Danhauser showed his affection to his family and the Clan returned the gesture in kind. It was a stupid and childish idea, she didn't even know why she was trying to give them a second chance after everything they had done to her in the past. She felt dumb. She envied Danhauser.

"I could just change my mind and stay with Gasper and Danhauser. No… He will think this means I miss him, of course," She sighed with annoyance, "He will be _insufferably_ pleased with himself."

With that thought in mind, she decided to stay.

As she made it inside her room, she briefly studied her surroundings for the next years and hummed in acceptance, noticing her belongings already placed on the bed.

During her stay on the Tepes Castle, her father will teach her manipulating shadows efficiently. However, there was a problem.

"What about my Sacred Gear?" She sat on her bed and summoned her Longinus, "As much as I hate it… it would be waste not mastering it."

She had some expertise over the Holy Grail, but not sufficient enough. Her only option was the Nephilim school. Unfortunately, because of her race, it was impossible to save a seat for her. The thought of asking help from her family had repeated more than once inside her head but she immediately dropped the idea.

That's when she felt an evil presence watching her.

Her expression soured, she already knew this was a warning of the upcoming apparition. As she stared at her reflection within the Holy Grail, she blinked and saw the colors of the bedroom withering.

Valerie looked behind her, eyes fixated on her body lying on the bed.

"… It worked," She died. Her spirit was successfully transported inside Sephiroth Graal — albeit temporally. Whenever she desired, she could flee from the world of the death — the Secluded World — and go back to the world of the living.

Because of her fear of ghosts, she never used this spell. But maybe it was time to take your fears head on? Danhauser would — she thought.

"Show yourself. At once!" She demanded, looking carefully around the room, "I… I know you're here!"

…

…

…

Minutes passed and she received no answer until a cruel laugh ceased her bravery. Tides of darkness crept from the floor, stretching itself thin until it was an inch from her feet. Valerie's breathing came in gasps and she felt ready to black out, her eyes shakily following the darkness crawling from the wall and reaching the ceiling, devouring the whole room.

An aperture was breaching before her, and something was tumbling out. It was a grotesque void out of which tentacles and eyes appeared. It settled around the furniture, but there was more of it coming out. Those eyes were hypnotizing, intimidating and shiny. They were a mix of iridescent colors, like looking through a kaleidoscope.

" **Hmm hmm hmm,"** It chuckled, **"For a thousand years,** _ **bound**_ **in this prison. I have watched** _ **all**_ **Sephiroth Graal's predecessors. You are different from them, Jailer."**

Valerie slapped away a tentacle — that happen to have eyes — which almost coiled around her wrist.

"… **There** _ **is**_ **much talk, and I have listened through time,"** It spoke in a droning whisper, " **Now** _ **I**_ **shall talk, and** _ **you**_ **shall listen."**

While biting her quivering lip, she closed her eyes and took deep breaths, disregarding the inhuman growls, tentacles, and glares surrounding her. After minutes of silence, she confronted the eldritch nightmare, "I'm all ears."

* * *

 **Fin.**

 **So, this is it everyone. At long last, we finished pre-canon and now we'll jump to canon.**

 **Now, why I didn't kill Cleria. No, it wasn't because you guys wanted her to be alive. Was it necessary to kill her? Sure, it would be a good character development for those of the Clan Belial, mostly Danhauser. But I think the fact that Danhauser ruined his family's name was more than enough. Also, Valerie would bring her back alive.**

 **I hate when an author (OC or not) introduce and then kills the character only to bring them back on the next chapter, making their sacrifice worthless and pointless. Let's be honest, if Cleria died, she would be brought back by Valerie, despite if it takes years for Valerie to master it, but it still left a sour taste in my mouth.**

 **This is just my opinion (rant) if you guys like those type of stuff then then it's cool, and dislikesmy likes shouldn't affect yours in the slightest.**

 **Moving on, I will change the name of my fanfic. This will be it's new name for those interested. Highschool DxD: Without Value.**

 **Why? Becuse I like it and sounds cool in my mind, plus I like edgy stuff, lol.  
**

 **Also, I want to share something else. The way I built the Peerage. I used animal motifs for each one of them, but I also gave them a color, flower/plant and so on. Here:**

 **Danhauser Belial: (Dunno lol), Grey, Sacred Lotus,  
Ravel Phenex: Hummingbird, Orange, Sunflower,  
Siegfried: Great White Shark, Silver, Silberdistel,  
Jeanne: Lamb, Violet, Lilium,  
Ikuse Tobio: Dog, Black, Rosa Canina,  
Bova Tannin: Crocodile, Purple, Antirrhinum,  
Valerie Tepes: Noble False Widow, Red, Rose,  
**

 **To end this Author Note I want to thank each one of you for following me on this bizarre adventure. Thank you so much. Also, in case I'm late once again, Happy New Year, everybody.**

 **Cheers.**

* * *

 **Belial of the New School Building**

 **Life.0: Prologue**


	30. Life 0

**Belial of the New School Building**

 **Life. 0: Prologue**

 **.**

* * *

 **.**

The rambunctious blaring of the small alarm clock jarred him out of his peaceful sleep, and he jolted up, smashing the snooze button as hard as he possibly could.

Slowly and reluctantly, he uncovered his face. He blinked, closed his eyes, and blinked again. Streaks of sunlight penetrated the window and blinded him. He sat up, dragging his feet off the bed. He stretched his arms above his head and sighed in satisfaction.

His name was Danhauser Belial, though everyone mostly called him 'Dan' — or 'Danny' in his cousin's case — He's a worker in Kuoh Academy as well as the next head of the Belial Clan.

Yes, he was from the Underworld and a Pure Devil.

But he was also from another world, where this universe was only fiction. He'd been reincarnated long ago. It'd been years since that day.

His gray eyes lingered over the alarm — or, rather, what remained of it, "I seriously have to hold back my strength," He scolded to himself, "Cleria won't like this."

As if on cue, a knock came from his door, "Rise and shine, sunshine!" It was guess-who, "It's time to woo all the girls with your charm, Danny~!"

"Speaking of the Devil," He refrained from groaning and rubbed his knuckles into his eyes, "I'm up, I'm up. I'll join you in a sec, Cleria. Let me get ready."

"Sure," He pictured her nodding, "Once you're done getting handsome go wake Roy up while I handle the cooking. Don't take too long!"

"Wait!" Danhauser's eyebrow twitched when Cleria's presence faded, "Ass."

Danhauser didn't harbor any ill thoughts about Roygun. Sure, she could sometimes get on his nerves whenever she teased him — with Cleria soon worsening the situation — and be quite the lazy woman. She had the same excuse that steadily began to be worn out — she's a _Belphegor_. Laziness ran in their system akin to the Lucifer bloodline carrying pride deep within their veins.

But despite being annoyed by Roygun's laidback nature and flirtatious personality, Danhauser and Cleria appreciated Roygun's support.

He watched his legs dangle absently above the floor and stood off his mattress to start the day with the right foot. He met the mirror hanging in his bedroom's bathroom and smiled back at his reflection.

These four years had changed his appearance in positive ways. Aside from becoming taller, he'd gained a more muscular and toned build from the extreme training he'd received in the Underworld by his brother and mother. Of course, the physical image wasn't the only thing he had been sculpting out, there was his magical prowess too. But that was another story for another time.

He washed his face and left while sliding a hand across his slicked-back gray hair in satisfaction. With a snap of his fingers, his actual attire magically altered for a three-piece-suit, pants and black shoes.

Cloth Manipulation. A basic yet useful spell that not only could instantly change someone's vestments, it could also repair any damage done to it. It made things easier, faster and saved him from spending money on a tailor. Seriously, the next time he had the luck to speak privately with the blonde beauty, he will thank Lavinia properly.

"Maybe dinner will do," Many occasions she had longed to taste her people's cuisine, "Or maybe painting supplies? She loves painting after all."

He would figure something out later on — he thought. He still had to wake up the resident Snorlax of the house.

Grunting, he stepped out of his room and walked right up to call Roygun's door and gave it a quick knock. He's unsurprised when he's met with only silence. He knocked once more just to give her one last chance, but after waiting several long moments for a response, he decided to twist the knob and get inside.

She laid as still as a brick, pink hair sprayed over the pillow. The only movement was the slight rise and fall of her well-endowed chest. Whenever she snored quietly, Danhauser refrained from snorting, sticking with a shaky smile. Her expression was peaceful though and — dare he say — beautiful.

Sadly, a dream must always come to an end, they had job to do. He grabbed her bed sheets and softly pushed them aside, carefully shaking her shoulder, "Roygun, wake up," Danhauser called quietly, "It's time to go."

Her closed eyes scrunched as she brought back the blanket above her face, leaving only her horns exposed.

His shoulders hopelessly slumped. What else was he expecting from her? Not expecting this interaction as part of his daily routine would be a huge lie. With that thought behind, he held one of her horns and tugged it, "Get up."

"M'up," Roygun mumbled something, barely coherent.

"No, you aren't," Danhauser heard her inaccurate words loud and clear, "We can do this the easy way or the hard way," He warned her.

She lazily pushed free from his grasp and turned away from him, dragging the covers with her and wrapping herself into a comfy cocoon, "Just five more minutes."

He'd tried to play the sympathetic card — he really did. But only bad cop triumphed over the incarnation of sloth. He stole her only protection of cold and tossed it far away, "Get. Up. Now," Danhauser gave vicious jabs to Roygun's belly-button for each accentuated word.

Roygun groaned faintly and said goodbye to the idea of shutting some more eye. She rolled over to look at her clock and froze. 6 am. Dear Maou. There was a light moan of displeasure as she planted her face over the pillow. "Why, dear. Why," She whined sleepily.

"Cleria is making breakfast. Come on, slowpoke," Danhauser ignored her complaints and dragged her bodily out of bed, chuckling at Roygun's half-hearted grumbling. He allowed her to take her morning bath and get dressed. Unlike Cleria and Danhauser, she had been sleeping in a guest room all these years, thus lacking a personal bathroom.

He went downstairs to the kitchen and spotted Cleria round picking up things to make breakfast. A quick glance into the kitchen showed two counters covered with cooking implements, with pots and ladles hanging from hooks on the walls and a microwave that's clearly seen a lot of use.

Danhauser just took his seat and waited patiently for their dishes to be ready.

"Bon appetite," She plonked the rather pathetic-looking breakfast down in front of them that consisted of a dried toast and coffee. A trait shared between the owners of this house was that their culinary skills were only limited to toast, cereal, sandwich and anything related to the microwave — it was abysmal. Thankfully they had the budget to visit restaurants and satisfy their hunger.

Sure, the Belial Clan had lost their vast monetary income years ago thanks to previous events that he wished not to speak about. The good news was that the commodity of the Human World was way cheaper in comparison to the Underworld and — to an extent — the Supernatural World as a whole.

"Mmm, breakfast of champions," Danhauser snarked, dodging a piece of toast coming from Cleria.

She gave him the stink eye, "Maybe if a certain _dork_ , gray-haired young man who loves training every day decided to learn how to cook and feed two beautiful women living with him we wouldn't be eating so poorly!"

"… Why me? Why not you or Roygun?" Danhauser narrowed his eyes accusingly and added, "I'm not a dork."

"Because it's going to help you lots!" Cleria persisted, "Of all three, you're the most qualified to master the kitchen! Can't you see it!?"

Danhauser cocked his head to the side, "Nope. Nothing," He said and Cleria's face became blank. He continued, "Admit it. You're just a lazy ass like Roygun."

She startled Danhauser by smashing her fists over the table — shaking anything atop it.

Danhauser eyed her oddly, "Don't do that."

"You fool!" Cleria pointed dramatically at him, "Girls and grown women find men more attractive when they cook for them! Ask Roy if you don't trust me!" She folded her arms with a pout, "I'm just trying to make you the best boy in town and you keep ruining it, damn it!"

Danhauser blinked a few times before laughing, "Doing yours and Roygun's laundry isn't good enough to be ranked as best boy?" Sure they had Cloth Manipulation, but the magic didn't give the refreshing smell of the laundries detergents. If it did, then Danhauser didn't know of it.

"Nooo!" She wailed her arms, "You gotta expand your horizons, Danny! Expand 'em!"

"Maybe I should stop by another time?" They whipped their heads around to see the owner of the voice walking downstairs, "You two were about to kill one another."

Standing from afar in black heels and with a hand on her slim hip, a full-grown woman smiled and tucked strands of her cherry-blossom hair behind her ear. The formal white shirt and a black skirt that only accentuated her bewitching beauty.

Her horns were missing. Magic at its finest.

"Just your typical morning," Danhauser waved off her qualms — despite having none.

"True. I should get used to it at this point," Roygun's face wrinkled as she noticed the served food, "Hah…? Toast again?"

"Coffee too," Danhauser gestured at the cup in his grasp before taking a sip, "Make yourself comfortable, Roygun."

"It's _Yozakura_. Mr. Vice-Principal," Roygun booped his nose and joined them on the table, "At least anything to put on it? Peanut butter? Marmalade?"

"Nope, nothing," Cleria stated after gulping her chewed food, "All cabinets are as empty as our wallets. I'll make a list of what to buy either later or tomorrow."

Roygun didn't reply back, she just shifted her glasses and reluctantly bit her toast. Danhauser had always wondered why she would wear glasses when her eyesight was perfect. Cleria told him it was for cosmetic uses, to easily resemble the typical teacher.

Just change 'typical' with 'fetishized'.

Her clothing accompanied by her mature beauty had the thirsty male student body — and a few girls — unable to focus on their studies. He wasn't shocked by their expression whenever the cherry-blossom entered class. After reading the Light Novels and way too many fanfics he'd expected these reactions to occur from the students. The former rating gamer didn't mind — she'd found it hilarious.

The adoration wasn't only reserved for Roygun however. Similar to canon, Rias and her peerage, Sona, and her Queen were also bombarded by endless flattery. Cleria and Danhauser also had a share of the students' overexaggerated praises.

He sometimes had to give the students their well-earned credit after the nonsense they kept spurting from their mouths. It was worrisome how quick they bought any rumors that'd spread across the corridors. They were easy to manipulate.

"By the way, _Vice-Principal_ ," Cleria called out, "Any news for the Kyoto trip?"

Danhauser's mouth pursed as he laid down his hot cup. It was a tradition of the academy to implement an excursion to Kyoto for the second-year students. While It was months before Issei and the others were aboard the school trip, Danhauser had to organize the events ahead of the time. He couldn't leave it at the last minute.

Danhauser didn't reply immediately, simply picking up a napkin and dusting off the crumbs that came from Cleria's toast. Both women wondered if it was better to drop the subject and speak of anything else, but then the gray-haired Devil leaned back on his seat and exhaled deeply. That wasn't a good sign — they figured.

"I have everything already," He massaged his wrist, "From the trip's cost, the places to visit and where to sleep and eat. I only need one thing."

Roygun was quick to follow, "Yasaka's approval."

Danhauser's grunt confirmed their worries, "Yasaka hasn't responded yet. And I doubt she will."

Cleria bit her lip, hesitant, "Why does she dislike you so much?"

"… Where do I start," He trailed off, absentmindedly tucking his knuckles under his chin, "In a nutshell — she believes I'm lethal. My peerage and I fighting terrorists has left her and her people a bad impression."

All the havoc he'd committed in the aftermath of his prior deeds — especially the conflicts against Augusta and Satanael — had Yasaka slowly become wary of him and the terrorists. Yasaka's mistrust didn't surge from Danhauser fending off Satanael and his peers, let's make that clear. It was how much involved he was in the turmoil, their livelihood in Kuoh Town and — to an extent — Ryuukou Town. She compared him to a magnet that attracted chaos for each step he took. Thus, she desired little communication as possible with him and Devils in general.

He fathomed Yasaka's harsh actions. She wanted to cover all bases for her people from any danger that had transpired each passing moon in the abundant prefectures within Japan. Plus, the majority of Youkais were well-known from their isolated nature and fear or mistrust of foreigners.

Unfortunately — for the Nine-tailed Fox beauty — Kuoh Town and Ryuukou Town were within the Kyoto Prefecture.

Nonetheless, Yasaka refused to threaten them — it wasn't her way of solving problems — and preferred to stress Danhauser whenever he had contact with her. But no one had an abundant amount of patience — everyone had a breaking point. Danhauser had the bad luck to savor it the moment he'd invoked the wrath of Zekram himself.

But honestly, he wasn't surprised nor hurt when he'd found out Yasaka had listed him in her blacklist. What had him bothered was that their antagonism could turn troublesome in future events. After all, Kyoto Youkai would become vital later on when the Hero Faction had made their name known. Their confrontation was written in the stars — both Yasaka's and Cao Cao's.

"Aside from that, the same stuff. She wants us to pack up and leave the town asap."

"And what's your answer?" Roygun had already predicted his response, but it didn't hurt to ask.

Danhauser shrugged, "I play her game by ignoring her."

The pink-haired snorted lightly.

"You two are only going back and forth," Cleria heaved a sigh, "It'll just worsen any chances of building a relationship with her."

"We can't give her Kuoh Town, Cleria," Danhauser shook his head, "Neither Ryuukou Town. We need them for the sake of our Clan," He was growing into something of a thorn in the side of Yasaka's even temper. He hated to stick out like a sore thumb, but if it was the only way to still live in Japan then so be it.

He had to make a hasty remedy on their eerie link. In a way where Danhauser didn't have to involve Kuoh and Ryuukou Town amid the negotiation table. Time was against him and still had no idea how to tackle the conversation.

"I know, I know," Cleria hung her head, "It's just…"

Roygun finished swallowing a bite of her toast before saying anything else, "Makes me wonder how you're going to sway her about the school trip," She commented dryly, "Putting apart your awful relationship with her. She's the leader of the Youkai Faction, right?"

"Yes, she is," Danhauser grabbed a spoon and stirred his coffee, "But she isn't the only one ruling the Youkai. She's mostly in charge of the West Faction."

Roygun realized how vague her comment was and went on detail, "No doubt together they rule, but Yasaka still has _more_ authority — and charm — than the other leaders. Take Sirzechs as an example. He's the leader and representative of the Four Great Satans."

"My point still stands. If someone can convince Yasaka is the leader of the East Faction," Rias, Sona, and their Queens — who were second-year students back then — had the honors to travel the sacred grounds of Kyoto thanks to the Daiyoukai. For an odd reason, he had even acknowledged Danhauser's performance. Danhauser liked him. Maybe because of him, Yasaka hadn't kicked them out of Kuoh Town — yet.

Danhauser just had to arrange a meeting and cross his fingers for the best.

Cleria looked up, astounded, "Wait? Him?"

"Yep, him," Danhauser blew the steam of coffee and took a careful sip, "The one and only — Nurarihyon himself."

"The High Priest of the Moon…" Roygun tapped her lip in thought, "Shocked you already met someone of his position."

Danhauser blew air from his nose, "The many virtues of being dumped in the battlefield," He said, "I'd spoken with the geezer once, he's nice."

Roygun pondered a while before sticking with a lazy shrug, "Hah... sure, go for it. I suppose it won't hurt anyone to give it a shot... I'm still convinced you can somehow woo her without Nurarihyon's help."

"My head almost blew up from thinking of anything useful," Danhauser chuckled lamely, "It sucks this is the only way. Only Nurarihyon can change Yasaka's mind. Thanks for the pat on the back, though."

"Aw, darn it," Cleria puffed her cheeks, "And here I thought your third Clan Trait would have Yasaka head over heels for you!"

Roygun chuckled weakly, "Blonde Magnetism."

"Ha. That's so funny," Danhauser rolled his eyes, "Never heard that one before."

Cleria waged her finger as if to chide her cousin for his reaction, "Hey, what's with the grumpy face?" She reached out and pinched Danhauser's cheek, "Come on, brighten up! Blind me with your beautiful smileeeee!"

"… Why you two are always like this?" He pushed her hand away with a light glare, "Cut me some slack already."

Roygun's face was washed with nothing but innocence, "Hah...? Why…? We are just pampering you with _immense_ affection. That's it~!"

"Yeah~!" Cleria nodded in agreement, "Don't you enjoy our great love only reserved for you~?"

"No," He said flatly.

If he had a medal, he would gift it to Roygun. The expression she now adopted almost made him feel bad. Almost, "Ah! There he goes once again. Mistreating us like always."

"So mean…!" Cleria wailed and hugged his arm, "You gotta open up your heart to us, Danny!"

"I can't believe I survived four years with you two around."

"And he just keeps rubbing salt in our wounds! My heart aches whenever you hurt our feelings," Roygun also latched into his arm while fluttering her eyelashes in a teasing fashion, "But it's okay. I forgive you. Because I know that deep down, you care for us."

They had him right where they wanted him. Roygun could tell by the look of mild annoyance on his face and his cheeks struggling to keep the blood away.

"Three can play the same game," He vowed under his breath, "You two will get a taste of your own medicine one day. I swear."

Cleria stuck her tongue out, "Suuuure."

"Hah... Keep telling yourself that — sweet thing," Roygun patted his cheek and scoop herself up, lazily thumbing at the exit, "Now, shall we enjoy our day in Kuoh Academy to the fullest?"

"You sound excited," Danhauser's voice dripped with sarcasm.

Roygun shrugged nonchalantly, "I'd rather stay all day under the sheets, to be honest."

Cleria peered over the clock hanging on the wall, "Yeah, let's start with a bang," She clicked her tongue when a thought dawned her, "I still have to make that dumb list!"

"Make it," Danhauser told his cousin, "I'll do all the shopping… unless any of you two wishes to take the bullet for me."

Neither of them volunteered — just as he expected.

.

* * *

.

Kuoh Town. The town where the Light Novels began. From Kokabiel almost restarting the Great War to the top brass of the Biblical Faction holding a conference to sign the peace treaty. The events didn't stop there. Chaos kept knocking on the door of the main characters with each volume scaling dangerously.

And Danhauser would have the honors to feed upon it. In the early days after reincarnating in this world he was freaked out, but after training constantly with his brother and gambling his life whenever he'd fought against the Utsusemi Agency and Hexennacht led by Satanael had made him confident than four years ago. He was ready for the upcoming storm.

Just because he would always exercise on a day to day basis it didn't convey, he was looking forward to a second round against Satanael, Walburga or any big villain — he wasn't a battle maniac like Bova or Sairaorg. He'd chosen to work out for self-defense and because it became part of his life — a hobby.

Danhauser shook his head as the wind howled. From his spot in the school grounds, he saw the students arriving through the gates, hustling and bustling down the corridors. Friends were greeting each other with a hug or a playful punch. He saw Kiba walking to his classroom while waving at the fangirls who either squealed, fawned or fainted.

And of course, the jealous males trying to wipe out the Prince of Kuoh with their fierce glares.

Just your typical day in Kuoh Academy.

Danhauser had been employed as the Vice-Principal of Kuoh Academy when Cleria had hired him. At first, Cleria had placed the offer on the table only for Roygun, but the latter refused since she couldn't be bothered working a lot. Since then, Danhauser had become the second-in-command while the pink-haired woman had chosen to teach the schoolchildren in mathematics.

They were famous too. The fact that the student body came up with nicknames was just a nod to his statement. Dear Maou the nicknames! And Danhauser always believed he was awful coming up with one!

For the sake of his health, Danhauser quickly shoved off the nightmares before it bestowed him a heart attack. Despite the overstated laud of the population within Kuoh Academy, Danhauser had to admit this was a breath of fresh air compared to his embroilment with Satanael and his army of chaos.

As he headed down the path, while ignoring the quite loud whispers orbiting him, he'd flinched at the obnoxious screams of the students. Now what? "Ah, Vice-Principal," He'd recognized that voice behind the cries and turned around to look.

Rias, Sona, and their Queens were walking toward him. He almost had to cover his ears after the jeering only increased tenfold. Seriously, how they'd never suffered from sore throats? Each morning they were always screaming at the top of their lungs in hopes to catch the undivided attention of their seniors — but no avail.

"Ladies," Danhauser greeted as they approached, struggling to ignore the rest of the students, "Hope you four aren't in trouble."

Akeno's heavy-lidded eyes only made her look amused, "Not yet, anyway."

Danhauser arched an eyebrow.

"Akeno…" Rias hissed chidingly, "There's time and place for everything — but not now!"

"Ufufufu…"

Sona sighed at their behavior, "Yes, Vice-Principal. No one's causing trouble either..."

Danhauser didn't like how quietly she said that.

Tsubaki adjusted her rimmed glasses, "Not under our watch. We have everything under control, Vice-Principal."

Since Touji and his group had disbanded and abandoned the Church located in Kuoh, the town was — supposedly — under control of the Remaining Pillars. Thus, the government was brisk enough to send reinforcements to assist Danhauser and Cleria in keeping the place secured.

Those reinforcements were the Heiress of the Sitri Clan and the Gremory Clan.

It was a good plan. The Supernatural World most likely knew the young sisters of the Maou. No one — unless they had a thirst for war like an infamously known Cadre — would dare to cut a single strand of their hair. It was signing your own execution. And because of that, they'd kept a safe distance away from 'Devil territory'.

Half of his brain pondered why Yasaka didn't resort through threats was because of Rias and Sona residing in Kuoh. They weren't powerhouses like Sairaorg or himself but were still treated dangerously thanks to their relatives — Serafall and Sirzechs.

Do not wake the sleeping giant as they say.

Yet, the plan wasn't flawless. Because of their status, a few Factions knew of them and their whereabouts. They were an easy and reachable target. It made the 'remain incognito' strategy plain worthless. Zekram's tactic was a double-edged sword that could — sooner or later — tip on their disfavor.

"Good to know," Danhauser pocketed his hands, his full attention solely on the Sitri heiress, "So, what's up? You wanted to speak with me about something or…?"

Sona wasn't the kind of girl who would start a conversation just to burn some time — that's what Rias would do. Whenever the Sitri heiress spoke to him was either to keep him updated about the school system or about students causing trouble — their relationship was professional.

As Sona pushed her glasses up, Danhauser swore to see the light briefly reflecting off them. Creepy, "It's Hyoudou. Again."

That alone answered the problem — Danhauser thought, "Spying on the Kendo Club?"

"Yes."

"Hmm," Danhauser roamed his intense gaze over Sona's Queen, "I thought the Student Council had everything 'under control'."

Tsubaki awkwardly coughed on her fist, cheeks flushed, "T-there can be a few _special_ cases, Vice-Principal…"

"Relax, I was just teasing you," Danhauser laughed briefly before focusing on Sona, "Where are they? Getting beaten by the Kendo Club?"

"Sona actually found them sooner," Rias replied, "Just in time before something bad happened."

"Right now, they're being guided to a designed classroom by servants of mine," Sona finished, "Ready to get disciplined."

Danhauser pocketed his hands. Most likely he would be the one keeping an eye over them, it all remained on the hands of his cousin. "Rias. When are you going to recruit him?" He asked pointedly, "The whole reason why he's still in Kuoh with his friends is because we're doing you a favor."

"Indeed," Sona remarked.

Before the Gremory heiress could pull out an excuse, a scream cut out into the conversation. The Devils quickly shifted their focus to the distance to see three infamous perverts pushing any student away while fleeing from the horde of furious girls wearing the Kendo Club uniform, all brandishing their wooden weapons in hopes to land a hit.

"There they are," Danhauser watched from afar the current Sekiryuutei and his friends being chased by the livid Kendo Club, "The Three Musketeers of Kuoh."

"Ara, ara," Akeno brought a hand to her cheek, smiling, "My juniors are really a bunch of rascals, aren't they?"

Sona and Tsubaki's expressions were frozen in disbelief, "Is he… are they trying to break free from their detention?"

"Don't think so," Danhauser said, "The Kendo Club must have had figured out about their lecherous peeping and were quick to react. The only option the boys had was running away to avoid a black eye."

Besides being shown in the early moments of the Light Novels as an ongoing pervert, self-interested and ignorant person, he didn't picture Issei disobeying orders from figures ranked higher than him. The last time he'd saw Issei disobeying was during the Kokabiel crisis — but he did it to help his future best friend, Yuuto Kiba.

"Tsubaki, tell the members of the Student Council to go after them," Danhauser ordered, "I want Hyoudou, his friends, Murayama and Katase facing detention."

Sexual harassment wasn't tolerable in any school. Neither school violence.

As Tsubaki nodded and invoked a magic circle near her ear, Rias turned to Danhauser and Sona with a nervous smile, "I'm still deciding which piece to use," She admitted, "I'm open for suggestions." They were the only Kings available that could give one or two advice for her growing peerage.

Sona sighed, "Foremost. You should appoint a private meeting before rushing the recruitment phase, Rias," She lectured the buxom redhead who winced, "But answering your question, maybe three pawns will do? He has a Sacred Gear, but maybe it's just a common one."

"He hasn't awakened it either," Tsubaki tossed her two cents, finished talking with Sona's servants, "That should cost fewer pawns during the ritual."

"I doubt it'll take three Pawns. His Sacred Gear emits an aura similar to a dragon. Those are pretty valuable," The Gremory heiress pointed out, "Even if his Sacred Gear hasn't been roused from its somber."

"The reincarnation system values the strength of the King, the guinea pig, and their Sacred Gear — if they have one, to begin with," Danhauser evoked Ajuka's words, "It might cost you around three pawns depending how fit you are, Rias."

A Longinus would cost her fortune — a sacrifice that Danhauser and Sairaorg had already experienced. It also depended whether if that Sacred Gear was a rare case amongst them — such as the exotic Sub-Species Sacred Gears. Valerie and Siegfried were examples that stood out. Heck, maybe they were the only ones in DxD to inherit a one-of-a-kind relic.

 _"Because of that, I had to use all my Pawns on Valerie,"_ Danhauser fought the urge to punch himself. The Dhampir literally had _three_ Longinus within her — each Holy Grail equally in terms of strength. Azazel even mentioned that she's one of the rarest Longinus Users to exist — an anomaly, _"I should've waited_ _a little until my Evil Pieces became Unused or Mutated. Wrong move from my part."_

Taking their comments to heart, Rias nodded and faced Danhauser, "With that aside, I'd love to hear your opinion too, Vice-Principal. Any advice on what Evil Piece use on my cute, soon-to-be servant?"

"… Huh, you are acting pretty confident," Danhauser noted, "You already have a plan to win his trust? Sona wasn't wrong, you should talk with him first before jumping on the big step."

He believed Issei would be easy to convince. The brunet had loudly revealed many times his goal throughout Kuoh Academy, and Devils were infamously known for practicing polygamy. If Issei accepted to be Raynare's boyfriend on the first day without knowing shit from her, then Rias had this wrapped around her finger — keeping in mind that the partner of Ddraig was known for having a crush on Rias at the start of Light Novels.

Maybe he was underestimating Issei, better let the wheel of fate do its part.

Rias flashed a fearless smile, "I do, actually," She puffed out her chest, "I'm afraid I can't tell you my secret weapon, Vice-Principal."

"Unfortunate," Danhauser refrained from looking at her gifted bust, sticking with an eye roll, "I _wonder_ what _that_ would _be_ …"

Akeno giggled in return, reaching the same conclusion.

He fixated his gray eyes over Rias' blue ones to where the Perverted Trio had last been seen, "I think a Rook would do the charm," Danhauser answered her neglected question, "He's been taking the Kendo Club's beatings like a punching bag since day one."

Rias stayed quiet for a moment, putting a finger over her chin, "I know you were just being sarcastic… but perhaps it could work?"

"I agree. A rook piece should give a boost to his offense and defense," Akeno said with a perversely pleased smile, "… Enough for my junior to last in our _future_ and _private_ sessions. Ufufufu…"

The look Akeno wore brought whips and leather in his mind.

A lot of leather.

"Akeno…" Rias facepalmed at her Queen's demeanor, "You… you can't say such things aloud in front of the Vice-Principal…"

"Ara?" Akeno stiffened and gasped behind her fingers, "It wasn't my intention to be so open about my… _hobbies_. Please, forgive me."

Danhauser frowned at Akeno who bowed in apology. Anyone present knew her gesture was a mere bluff — Rias rubbing her temple just proved this statement. Where he was dubious was whether Akeno was trying to pull a reaction out of him or get punishment. Or both.

She shared this quirk with Valerie who used a different tactic — her macabre side. She adored pointing out gross and morbid facts to draw feelings of disgust from the Peerage — mostly Tobio. The Dhampir, however, wasn't a masochist.

Rather than freaking out, it just brought the good memories of his childhood per se.

"… Whatever you have in mind do it far away from school grounds so you don't bother anyone," Danhauser warned her, "We already have issues with Hyoudou and co. ogling the girls."

The raven-haired girl giggled.

Sona narrowed her eyes, "As the Vice-Principal of Kuoh Academy, you shouldn't encourage your students from performing such acts."

Danhauser hummed while patting down his suit, "Hey, bite me. I can't tell Akeno what to do with her personal life," He countered, "Neither you. Outside of the school gates, we are no longer the 'Vice-Principal' or the 'Student Council President' we are just a bunch of devils with personal affairs."

Sona's sharp eyes clashed with his intense one, "… You raise a good point, Vice-Principal," Sona bowed her head with Tsubaki quickly following suit, "I apologize for doubting you."

Danhauser blinked several times before folding his arms at the redhead, "Let me guess. You're going to apologize, too?"

Rias chuckled before awkwardly shrugging.

Danhauser merely snapped back to the Student Council members, "Chin up, you two. It was nothing serious."

Sona nodded in gratitude and hopped on the next topic, "I wish to speak of something of importance," She adjusted her glasses, "I don't wish to put pressure on your shoulders, Vice-Principal. But have you found a good candidate to take care of the holes in the changing rooms walls?"

"Almost done," Danhauser replied, "I have the number. We just have to wait for the Principal to give the green lights so we can move on the next step."

"Could it be as soon as possible?"

Danhauser winked at her impatience, "You can bet on that. Cleria was desperate to find someone with the skills to do so. She's going to cry tears of joy."

Don't ask why it took them years to hire someone qualified for the job. Seriously, don't.

Sona hummed, relief washing her body. She confronted her childhood friend with a warning gaze, "Once you've recruited Hyoudou in your Peerage, you better put restrictions on his perverted nature. His actions are going to be your responsibility from here on, Rias."

"We already spared Hyoudou and his squad of voyeurs way too much," Danhauser soon followed on the threats, "Next time they won't get away with just a slap on the wrist."

Rias flinched at their words. Whenever her nominee for the Pawn piece was caught peeking on girls, Danhauser had to reluctantly alter the memories of the victims and witnesses. Of course, he made sure Issei and his goons faced the consequences with the Principal and Governor of Kuoh Town — Cleria.

The point was that Danhauser didn't like messing with the mind of innocent people unless the situation deemed it utterly necessary — such as someone finding out about the Supernatural World. Plus, his tolerance was slowly wearing.

Even Cleria had warned her — face to face — that if she ever heard in the school grounds about three infamous boys sexually harassing girls changing clothes. She will immediately expel them from Kuoh Academy. No ifs, ands, or buts.

It didn't affect Rias in the slightest. Her future servant would have time to spare in fulfilling contracts with humans. But still, Issei's parents would be enraged by the news and perhaps enroll the brunet in a different academy. Unless Issei's school records were a problem throughout the admission.

She had to comply with their orders — both Cleria's and Danhauser's. As an heir of the Clan Belial, Danhauser's authority in Kuoh Town was second only to his cousin's. It mattered a little if the Gremory Clan was one of the highest-ranking and famous Devil families in contrast to the Belial Clan. Politically speaking, she should be the governor but Zekram stepped up and his command was executed.

Rias shook her head and — with a look mixed with gratitude and guilt — voiced her thoughts quietly, "I will. Thank you for your patience."

At that moment, one of Danhauser's many phones buzzed briefly inside his pocket. He pulled it out to see a familiar name.

His expression darkened.

"… Vice-Principal?" Sona called out, "Is something wrong?"

"It's… nothing," Danhauser brushed off their frowns, "Tell Cleria I'll be out for a while, got to check something in the town real quick."

Sona's strict eyes couldn't narrow more. Nonetheless, she reluctantly dropped the subject, "As you wish. Should I also take care of Hyoudou and the rest?"

"Please do," He nodded to all of them, "It's better if you girls go back to your classroom — class is about to start."

"Before we go, Vice-Principal, can you one day visit the ORC?" Rias suddenly requested, "Gasper's been asking about you lately. He thinks you're ignoring him."

Danhauser looked up from his mobile, "I have a tight schedule, hence I rarely stop by," He explained, "But yeah, tell him I'll drop by soon enough."

He did promise Valerie he would watch over the cross-dressing Dhampir after all.

Flashing the trademark Gremory smile, Rias left alongside her Queen — who'd bowed at him.

"Vice-Principal," Sona and her Queen gave a brief reverence before pursuing after the redhead, lending the grey-haired man alone time.

He acted quickly.

Pocketing his phone and fishing out another one, he searched through his contacts and brought the device close to his ear.

And waited.

And waited.

And wai—!

 **[Boss,]** A female voice answered the call, **[Need a hand?]**

"Sae," Danhauser spun around and walked after the gates of the academy, "I need a favor."

.

* * *

.

Danhauser slunk into the restaurant. After crawling through his phone for the coordinates of his associate — he'd hit upon this place. Apparently — from what he'd seen so far — this place was infested with students from different schools catching a break from their studies. He'd even spot a few of Kuoh Academy waving at him. The building was as full as an optimist's glass. Whatever they're selling here must be tasty. He just hoped it wasn't expensive — he thought.

He waved back and searched everyone that followed the main characteristics of his target carefully. The unique hair color and demonic energy were the traits that made this figure stand out from others.

As he closed his eyes to channel Senjutsu and make the task easier for him, he didn't feel the unique presence of someone with a demonic aura.

The coast was clear. For now.

He opened his eyes and continued through his path, the workers parting easily from him. When the opportunity presented itself, he took the nearest and empty table for himself and waited. A moment later, his companion entered the restaurant. His clothes were layered and distinguished enough to draw attention in the whole building.

 _"Keeping it subtle, I see,"_ Danhauser grunted, raising a hand to catch his attention.

Their eyes met and his partner smiled, calmly drawing near and taking a chair for him.

Danhauser snapped his fingers and invoked a barrier around them.

…

…

…

"What's your business here, Diodora?" Danhauser broke the ice, "You can't come to Kuoh without my cousin's or mine's acknowledgment. There are rules, you should follow them."

Diodora chuckled tauntingly, "Is that so?"

Danhauser stared for a full minute before feigning a disheartened sigh, "I'm disappointed. I was hoping we'd get along better than this, Diodora."

"Oh? Aren't you the one baring your teeth at me?" Diodora shot back with a sly smile, "You're always frowning whenever we meet. Are you not happy with me paying you a visit?"

"What? Who told you that? I always _purr_ like a cat whenever I see you, Diodora," After laughing at his own joke, Danhauser's face hardened and cut the chase, "I already told Shalba many times that I'll handle Rias and Sona around a week and far away from Kuoh Town. You can ask him if you don't trust me. Like hell I'll kill the heiresses when their peerage is near."

As arrogant as it may sound, Danhauser could take head on both Rias and Sona with their peerage in the mix. Regardless if Issei and Saji were already reincarnated as pawns and awakened their Sacred Gears.

But he wasn't here to gloat how much he could flex on their servants. The fact that Diodora came for the fifth time was annoying and worrisome. Ninety-percent of his brain suspected that it was just the leaders of Old Satan Faction putting pressure on him. The ten percent, however, it was that he was wandering to see if his prey finally arrived— Asia Argento.

Most of the time, his brain would storm to the conclusion he was after his newest servant — Jeanne. If that was the case then he would personally take matters into his own hands.

But no one knew of the blonde except for his family, Ruval, Roygun, Ajuka and maybe the other Maou. Ajuka didn't have any bond with the Heir of Astaroth and didn't give a shit about Diodora's existence. Harsh, but acceptable given how Diodora revealed his true colors later on.

As much as he would love to, he couldn't tell Diodora to fuck off and never come back. The Astaroth House was way above the Belial Clan in terms of prestige in the Underworld. Sure, they weren't in Ars Goetia but knowing Diodora's callous personality, he would pull off something that would ridicule his Clan more as an act of revenge.

He already had the media waiting for any member of the Belial Housecarl to make the tiniest mistake possible to publish it into many articles. He would rather avoid conflict that involved his family.

"He changed his mind it seems," Diodora shrugged, "Did I forget to mention that they're growing impatient by your slow progress? My bad," His expression darkened, "This isn't the first time that you asked Shalba to lend you more time to finish your mission. You said you'd 'get the job done', but I still haven't heard any news of the mysterious deaths of Gremory and Sitri. "

Danhauser's eyes narrowed perilously, "Get in my shoes. You should be happy your target was child's play," Maybe it wasn't since the heir that Diodora had killed was the member of Glasya-Labolas Clan, who was a Devil behind guards and such. Then again, the targets that were assigned to Danhauser were relatives of the strongest female devil and a Super Devil. It's a fool's gambit to provoke the Maou, "What I say is true, I'll get the job done — but at my own pace. Stop bugging me."

Diodora brought his hands up defensively, "Hey, I'm not the one twisting your arm. I'm just here to send a memo... Still, why exactly is it becoming challenging to finish them? Come on. Just humor me here," He smirked before deciding to throw him a bone, "You can slay all of them with your arms tied up. They are _way_ below your league. It's hard to believe in someone who sympathized with the Old Satan's cause and requested to cooperate with us would hesitate to kill the sisters of the fake Maou. Don't forget this is also a test to see if you're trustworthy."

"… You should really be looking at the big picture here, Diodora," Danhauser snorted a laugh at the accusation, "I've got to keep appearances on my end. I can't afford to lose the faith that's been placed in me from Sirzechs and Serafall. The more confidence the Maou has on me, the more valuable information I'll receive. And that information is beneficial for the Old Satan Faction."

Diodora's golden eyes fluttered apart, twinkling amusingly, "Playing the good boy, hmm? I can relate to that. After all, how else could I win the hearts of many beautiful nuns and holy maidens?" He snapped his fingers and a folder materialized in his grasp. He playfully shook it, "Why Shalba is breathing down on your neck is because he already appointed me another task. From what I've read, it involves the two of us searching for something or someone."

"Who?" Danhauser all but demanded and the Heir of Astaroth smirk grew into a grin full stained by smugness. The gray-haired gritted his teeth, "Diodora…!"

Diodora dematerialized the file much to Danhauser's chagrin, "Can't tell. Not until you've done your part, orders from Shalba himself," He stood up and dusted his clothes, "Huh, what a terrible service. I've been waiting for a cute waitress to offer me a menu and no one came… Whatever. I won't let you read what's inside until you'd done your part. Until then."

"… Everything I do, I do for the Old Satan, Diodora," Danhauser vowed to the retreating Devil.

"The clock is ticking, Danhauser."

Danhauser remained still on his chair, eyes fixated on the napkin and utensils decorated on the table. It just took a tap on his shoulder to yank him out of his food of thoughts. His gaze followed the figure as she stole Diodora's previous seat.

…

…

…

"Got everything, Sae?"

Sae slid the cell phone in his direction, "All saved here," She said, "So, working for the Old Satan Faction? Should I be... worried?"

"It's a long story. Don't worry, I'm playing the 'reverse mole'," He took the device and tried to guess for the password — he'd only failed miserably, "Password?"

"Tobi's birthday," Sae replied, "Anything else you need from me?"

"Not… at all," He said slowly, eyes baited on the screen. He pressed the replay button, "Good job."

Sae nodded in return and hummed to herself, "Oh, right, Tobi says 'Write to me, asshole!' by the way. His words, not mine!"

He paused the audio to regard the brunette with a cocked eyebrow, "And here I thought he was going to ignore me for four years," He leaned back on his chair, "Tell that vertically challenged midget he can write to me whenever he feels like it. I haven't exactly changed email addresses or phone numbers."

Sae stared flatly with those green eyes, "You know he's sensitive about his height."

Danhauser held her gaze for a long second before laughing, "Yeah. I'll write to him when I have free time," He looked down at the table as a waitress placed two menus for them and gave them privacy. He gestured at the menu, "You hungry? I could buy you anything if you want… or is Tobi going to _fumble_ with jealousy?"

"Sorry, boss. I'm kind of busy at the moment — your schedule is stuffed, too. Thanks for the invitation, though," Sae stood up to take her leave — not before smirking over her shoulder. "Besides, this food is third-rate at must compared to Tobi's cooking. See ya."

Danhauser watched her disappear from the lively restaurant, his attention switching back to the phone in his grasp. The girl actually hit the nail right on the head. He had quite the heavy schedule now that he already had built some progress thanks to her cooperation. He had to step up for the next phase now.

He couldn't quit nor pencil it for another occasion. It had to be now.

With that vow in mind, he pocketed the phone and left. His mind recapping Diodora's conversation.

The same questions kept popping in his head.

Searching what? Searching who? What mission had Shalba appointed to Diodora?

He had to find out.

.

* * *

 **.**

 **F4 - Not only Dragon Age, I'm a fan of Mass Effect as well :p and yep my inspiration to make Valerie's character came from Morrigan actually, best girl in Dragon Age IMO. I had to agree with you, Valerie is my best girl too, you have a fine taste in SSR waifus.**

 **King gilgamesh - Danhauser's not going to learn Norse Magic, he will learn from another Faction, I'll give you a hint, you wrote it in your review. Having multiple wings doesn't mean it removes your power cap (there's no such thing as far as I know). Only the Lucifer, Beelzebub, Leviathan and Asmodeus and their Clan had multiple wings. This is canon. Danhauser wanted multiple wings because he thinks it's coolz.**

 **Guest - Thank you! I think I know who you're talking about with the Boob God, lol. Thought it was a Goddess tho.**

* * *

 **I'm safe from school. For now.**

 **So, here's the start of the canon timeline. Nothing engaging. This chapter was mostly to show Danhauser's lifestyle in Kuoh. A calm before the storm per se. I can assure you this arc won't last too long. Whether you want to see that as a good or bad light it's up to you.**

 **Back then I did say I'll put some focus on the Heaven Faction. I will. That, however, will happen later around post-Peace treaty Arc. I will also focus on other Factions as well, as you could read here, the Youkai is one of those. Other Factions are gonna also get some love, too.**

 **Also, something I need to address that some of you were showing some concern** **— Danhauser's weapon.**

 **Let's be honest, we all know Danhauser and his peerage are going to become strong. REALLY strong. New, and stronger adversaries, are gonna show up, after seeing the spoilers of Shin/True Volume 1 and 2 is a good nod to my statement.  
**

 **A mere spear is not gonna do shit in a fight against these new faces, thus making all his training with his spear obsolete.**

 **He's not going to have True Longinus. If he does, Indra will go 'Ayy lmao' and erase his ass or worse, start a war against the Hindu Faction (maybe he has foreseen him :p). Why? Because Cao Cao is Indra's vanguard and since Indra needs Cao Cao and the Hero Faction for his war against Shiva...**

 **Back on track, all you need to know is Danhauser's going to have a good weapon. That would be post Kyoto Arc onwards, though. It's not a Sacred Gear.**

 **By the way, the Peerage is not gonna appear yet. They will soon, so don't worry.**

 **Cheers.**

 **PS: While you're reading this. I'm working on the next chapter.**

* * *

 **Life. 1: Mad Tea Party**


	31. Mad Tea Party

**Life. 1: Mad Tea Party**

 **.**

* * *

.

Danhauser could do nothing but twirl the Queen Piece in his hand, his eyes never leaving the holographic figure of Ajuka Beelzebub who'd been repeating the conversation between Danhauser and Diodora for the ninth time in a row.

The Super-Devil finally finished, holding Danhauser's gaze, **[We always thought the murder of the Glasya-Labolas Heir was an accident. We believed it.]**

"And we were wrong. The murderer is still roaming the streets of Ars Goetia," Danhauser said, "And his name is Diodora."

 **[And — to an extent — the Old Satan Faction,]** Ajuka added, scowling.

Danhauser briefly stopped spinning his Evil Piece, "I know Shalba and the rest are resentful of all of you but…" Danhauser drawled, once again toying with his chess piece, "What results were they expecting to achieve by completing this mission other than pissing off the Maou? I can't get in their heads," Maybe there was a warfare tactic behind it that only the greatest mind could possibly understand. Unfortunately, Danhauser wasn't such.

Ajuka shrugged, **[I do not know. All I know is if the mission was — somehow — successful, they would get a nuclear bomb straight to their main quarters,]** Because at the end of the day, if Ars Goetia somehow ended amidst a war, Sirzechs would be the last resort to finish it with an atomic explosion.

"It's not like Uncle Coda calls him the Ultimate F.O.A.B. for no reason," Danhauser said under his breath, "What of Diodora?"

 **[Straight to jail. This is the proof we need to put him behind bars. Good job,]** After sharing the pleasant news, Ajuka brought a hand under his chin, **[Let's concentrate on the crucial question — the searching mission he teased you about. Any idea who or what they are searching for?]**

Danhauser leaned back in his chair with a stressed look, "I have no clue. I tried to make him put the cards on the table — but nothing."

The two of them pondered in a silence similar to a graveyard. Danhauser didn't know why, but it felt suffocating.

 **[You think they're after her?]** As if to make the situation complicated, Ajuka gave a name, **[After Roygun?]**

Danhauser abruptly stopped playing with his Queen Piece. He could only hear his heartbeat scaling to almost frantic levels as his throat dried out, "But why her…?"

 **[Stop playing naïve. We both know why,]** Ajuka retorted with a scoff, annoyance evident in his voice, **[Her Clan Trait is off the charts and may have piqued the interest of the Old Satan for a long time.]**

Being a former member of Belphegor Clan, Roygun not only inherited the horns that the Housecarl were proud of, but she also acquired the ability 'Crack' as well. He was confused by its function. From what he grasped thanks to Roygun's brief explanation, it's priority was to create a tear in anything.

However, she was a strange case compared to the other members of the Belphegor Clan.

"Her Clan Trait is mutated, just like Ruval and his blue flames," Danhauser recalled loudly, mostly to himself rather than the green-haired, "It's stupidly broken. To the point that the government of Ars Goetia, City of Dis and the Extra Demons had to step up and prohibit her accessing True Form — even if she mastered her powers."

It wasn't because of her corruption behind the Rating Games. It was to make sure she didn't spread 'cracks' all over the Underworld. Since her birth came to light — she was restricted. Likely other Factions were also going to forbid it once the Peace Treaty has been signed.

Because of the revelation, he'd understood how the Cherry-Blossom reached the second place in the Rating Games — all her matches were in her favor thanks to the King Piece and Clan Trait.

It only spoke volumes about Diehauser's skills.

 **[You just said it. That's why I believe they're after her,]** The Super-Devil commented, **[The higher-ups banned it because her True Form could fatally damage the Underworld with its release alone.]**

Danhauser set his Queen aside and widened his eyes at the Satan, "They want to force it. Her True Form."

 **[Extremely likely,]** Ajuka grunted, **[Maybe that's why they accepted you into their group since you're the closest to her. Add your family bond with your brother and the Malebranche Clan.]**

Danhauser felt his pulse pounding in his temple. He massaged his forehead to soothe the throbbing, "This… this is mostly conjecture and theory," He pointed out, "We still don't know what the Old Maou have in mind. We have to see what Shalba has written on that folder before jumping to conclusions."

Ajuka couldn't agree more and quickly shared his plan, **[Then we will still not bust Diodora — for now. I won't tell Zekram about this either, not until that document stays under your possession. Are you up for the challenge or should I send someone else?]**

"I got this," Danhauser immediately answered.

 **[Are you sure?]**

"Totally," Danhauser averted his gaze from the hologram, "… Because of Diodora's allegiance with the Old Satan Faction, the Clan Astaroth is going to lose many of its privileges. You know that, right?"

…

…

…

 **[… I'm a Maou,]** Ajuka responded after a long silence, **[My role is to protect the Underworld no matter the cost — sacrifice the minority over the majority.]**

Danhauser slowly faced Ajuka, eyebrows furrowed, "… Isn't a Satan obligated to save all of them?"

 **[That's our motto, but only an idealistic Satan would buy it — such as Sirzechs and Serafall,]** Ajuka said, **[Let's be real. You know very well that no matter your efforts, you can't save everyone.]**

Danhauser felt his head automatically nod.

Ajuka kindly returned the gesture, **[If you find yourself backed against the wall, then don't hesitate to send me a call.]**

"Understood," Danhauser noted Ajuka pursing his lips as if deciding something, "There's something else, right?"

Yes, there was, actually, **[… Listen, Dan, I don't wish to call a surgeon once he's arrested. Even if he's a criminal, he's still the future head of Astaroth.]**

"If he comes with his hands above his head, then I won't hurt him," Danhauser promised, "If he gives a fight, I'll have to return the gesture in kind."

 **[Something is something, I guess,]** Ajuka sighed, **[Good luck. But remember, he has to be able to walk!]**

"Yeah, yeah…"

Once the figure of the Super-Devil faded along with the luminous green, Danhauser's shoulders collapsed as he released a long breath that he'd saved since his conversation with Beelzebub.

"Man, what a day," The second sigh that escaped his dry lips was slow, as if his brain needed that time to process what had happened. His eyes remained fixed on the desk, on the exact spot Ajuka's hologram had fled down.

"So, I can't leave Diodora badly damaged," No matter what if the green-haired was working with the enemy. He was still the next head of the Astaroth Clan and had many privileges. Plus, the Astaroth Household was a high-ranking Clan as well.

Despite being permitted to operate outside the law — there were scenarios that he had to reluctantly obey. Only the government could punish him. Whether it was executing him for his fidelity to the Old Satan Faction or imprison him to Cocytus — the Frozen Hell that functioned as home to traitors and those who'd committed acts of complex fraud — where he's most likely going to mutate into a sculpture of fine ice.

If Danhauser stained his hands with blood, he could trigger a civil war. _Another_ civil war.

It sounded stupid the more he repeated it in his head, the stupidity increased tenfold now that Danhauser had evidence saved on a device.

But that's how the law worked within the Remaining Pillars.

He had no room to talk on what's foolish and what's not — not after accepting a dangerous role, one that could kill him if he was not extremely careful.

But he couldn't refuse the offer that they'd placed _so_ deliciously on the table.

.

* * *

.

 _"Danhauser. You're to gain the favor of the Old Satan Faction."_

 _To think that an exhausting spar with Sairaorg Bael would conclude with a meeting with high-ranking, political figures._

 _"Wait. Hold up a second," Danhauser chuckled in disbelief from his seat in the office of Lord Bael. He scratched his knife-shaped ears, "Did I hear right? Did you just tell me to join the Old Satan Faction?"_

 _"We did," Zekram calmly replied, "During the Diehauser Belial Broadcast Intrusion, we were in a rush to ensure the safety of the victims and subdue the riot that wrecked the streets of Agreas and Lilith. As a result, we lacked enough information about the unknown figure and we misjudged their intelligence."_

 _"Now, there has been an unfortunate loss, the future Head of the Clan Glasya-Labolas," Lord Bael continued, "We've received multiple reports from the guards that no one outside the walls made it inside Ars Goetia, nor did they find any clues throughout the investigation — dropping the case as a 'mere accident'."_

 _"We know better. We have a traitor within the streets of the Remaining Pillars," Zekram said coldly, "We are adamant this traitor pledged allegiance to the Old Satan Faction. It's so convenient that from all the Housecarls, they targeted the Clan who has produced the current 'Asmodeus'."_

 _"We need every last bit of information about the Old Satan Faction, the identity of their spy, future goals their location and ensure they have no secretive way to escape if they are found, or else we'll simply be repeating our past errors."_

 _Danhauser's eyes narrowed as he slowly stood up, "So, you're telling me to get my hands dirty by fighting for the ideals of the Old Satan Faction?"_

 _"Yes," Lord Bael responded, "We're asking this because we feel you're up to the task."_

 _Danhauser grunted, still unconvinced, "What makes you think they'll recruit me?"_

 _"Isn't it obvious?" Zekram laughed and gestured at him, "Danhauser Belial. The Devil who's the heir of a Clan that has fallen from glory."_

 _Danhauser's mouth adopted a rigid line._

 _"… As an act of revenge, Danhauser joins the terrorists to retrieve what's rightfully his," He concluded with a hum, "My, my. I should grab a pen and write a book. I'm coming up with good character backgrounds, don't you agree?"_

 _"A bit cliché," Danhauser snarked._

 _Lord Bael glared warningly._

 _Zekram casually shrugged, "Perhaps. But sufficient enough to guarantee you a spot in their ranks."_

 _"Any questions?" Lord Bael said crankily._

 _"Why me?" Danhauser folded his arms defensively, "There must be more Devils qualified for this."_

 _"Unlike many Devils of yours and previous generations, you're the only one who — at the age of sixteen — experienced terrorism and survived to share the story," Zekram explained, "You know how they play and take actions accordingly. There's no one more suitable for this job than you."_

 _Aside from that, there was a lot of arguments in their favor for why they went after a member of the Clan Belial — many of them because it clashed with many political bases. Funnily enough, he still couldn't refuse orders of his higher-ups. Whether he liked it or not, Danhauser had to follow the Great King's instructions to the letter._

 _"And what do I get in return?" Danhauser demanded._

 _Zekram expected the question to arise and smirked, stopping in front of the young Devil with a hand outstretched._

.

* * *

.

"The pride of your Clan," Danhauser repeated the exact words that sold him, fists clenched, "A chance to participate in the Young Devil Gathering."

His head repeated the scene when his whole family found out he was hired as principal intelligence of the higher-ups. His mother had thrown tantrums right in his face. His brother and cousin tried to calm her down, but deep down, they were also fumbling. His uncle thought it was cool — earning the wrath of his sister.

"For family, will I give," He knew his family would be against the idea. But the seeds were already sown — there was no looking back. Not after Zekram stowed a jaw-dropping reward in the meeting that Danhauser couldn't just overlook.

They thought it was a risky move, but a calculated risk was no risk at all.

He wasn't oblivious to the nest of snakes he'd dived into. He knew he was skating on thin ice. Now a member of the Old Satan Faction and — to an extent — the Khaos Brigade. It was a matter of time before Shalba had him executed after he'd outlived his usefulness.

He was prepared for the upcoming event.

Funnily, he was using them for his personal agenda as well and they had their own expiration date as well.

"Uncover the existence of Khaos Brigade," He knew of them thanks to the Light Novels. Unfortunately, most of the characters were unaware of their whereabouts. The only figure Danhauser believed to be close to discovering them was Azazel, "That should stop the leaders from headbutting one another."

Because when the supernatural world realized that the puppeteer behind the Army of Disaster was the Ouroboros Dragon all along, they would cast their differences aside to battle for a similar cause. Protect their home — planet earth.

But to accomplish this, Danhauser needed to first find valid evidence of their existence.

"My previous events must have changed the timeline quite a bit… no… a lot," Danhauser mumbled, hence he's hurriedly pressuring the factions to shake hands or at least reunite to talk about it. Previous accidents such as the Vatican being set aflame and the riot in Agreas and Lilith left the Three Biblical Faction at each other's throat.

"So far, the only real thorn in my side is Kokabiel," Unlike Satanael, Kokabiel was still a member of Grigori at this point and could break the frail balance if he wreaked havoc in Kuoh.

He drummed his fingers while staring absent-mindedly into nothing, "… I should focus first on the case of Diodora. I only have a few days to pull something out of my sleeve… but what?"

…

…

…

He yawned behind his hand, "Too tired. Gonna get some shut-eye and think about this tomorrow."

He would come up with something in the coming days. He had to, anyway.

.

* * *

.

Roygun stifled a yawn as she sashayed through the crowded hallway at the heart of Kuoh Academy. Lunch had started, and the halls were loud. A few students were sharing subjects to discuss or teasing one another.

Roygun stretched her arms above her head, the muscles there stiff after a tiring work. It had been a boring day, and her legs were aching from standing for way too long. All she wanted to do was go back home, take a warm bath, and watch anything interesting on the TV. Maybe pour a few glasses of something strong and sleep under the sheets afterward, but the magic circle from Danhauser had been full of commands about grabbing a specific book from his room and delivering it to his office. Roygun had slumped her shoulders, searched around his room and given it half an hour before leaving the house to answer Danhauser's orders.

Bless whoever created teleportation circles.

The bad news was that she still had to grade a lot of assignments from her students, meaning she had to read each answer.

Or she could deliver good grades to all of them — since she couldn't be bothered to check all of their scrawlings — and enjoy the rest of the afternoon either sleeping, watching TV or teasing Cleria and Danhauser. That's all she could do in this town to kill boredom now that she was restricted from the Rating Game.

After knocking on the door and getting the signal she stepped in with a faint smile, "Hey, dear," She said to the Vice-Principal while closing the door, "Why is this book is so special that you had to yank me out from an erotic dream about us in—!"

"S-stop right there…!" Danhauser breathed out without looking briefly up from the floor as he kept doing push-ups, "N-not in my Christian school! You can keep your kinky fantasies to yourself."

"Are you sure~?" Roygun grinned, leaning down enough to show a little bit more cleavage, "This was a good one — my favorite in fact. Had an engaging plot and everything."

Danhauser slowly stood up and searched her over, "Definitely. Besides, I hate spoilers," He smiled before stealing the book in her grasp.

She stuck her tongue out, "Killjoy," Roygun straightened herself before gesturing to the textbook, "Any reason why you asked for that book in particular?"

Taking a seat on his rotating chair, he invoked a towel while placing the book on his desk, "These are Nephilim's records."

"Nephilim?" She parroted, blowing a loose strand of pink hair from her eyes, "The Grigori school where your Knight and Sae graduated?"

"That one," Danhauser shot her a pair of finger pistols, "Each month, Sae swaps this book in exchange of another with updated information about new students or Sacred Gear Users that Grigori is interested in recruiting."

"But why did Sae give you a copy of that book?" Highly unlikely that that was the original version, it must be somewhere hidden in the headquarters of Grigori.

"She did so in case I'm interested in recruiting anyone to my Peerage," He wiped the sweat in his face, "With Azazel expecting something huge in return."

"So the Governor-General knows about this exchange," She tapped her lip in thought, "Interesting…"

She always saw the Governor-General of Grigori as a weird leader. No matter what the relationship between Danhauser and him, he did understand that he was giving the Devil Faction more firepower in case if a second Great War befell?

Men were weird.

Then again, they were hunting the same enemies.

"Yep, he does," Danhauser said as he ran a finger down the list of Nephilim students. After minutes of searching in silence, his eyes froze over a familiar name and picture that made him break into a smile, "Bingo," He inwardly fist-pumped before closing the book, "Found my little gem."

Roygun arched an eyebrow, "Who?"

Danhauser didn't answer back, merely fishing his phone out of his clothes and typing the number, shifting the device near his ear.

It was silence for a few seconds before someone answered the call, **[Oh! Danhauser!]** A male voice greeted joyfully, but Roygun knew it sounded fake, **[To who do I own the honors?]**

If it wasn't for her enhanced hearing, she would be missed out. She still had many questions, though, "Dan. What's—!"

He pressed a finger to her lips with a pleading look. Be quiet, got it. He better explain everything once he's done.

Danhauser gave her a little wink and turned back to his phone, walking to the window of his office, "Diodora," He said and Roygun lost her balance a little, "Let's make a deal. What do you want for the mission that Shalba gave you?"

A nasty laugh erupted from the phone, **[D-don't tell me you can't take that _off_ your m-mind?!] ** He said between snickers, **[I told you already! Do your part and I'll — !]**

"Asia Argento for the folder."

Silence.

…

…

…

 **[You're lying.]**

Danhauser smiled in amusement, "Cross my heart and hope to die," He mockingly said, "I know where to find the former nun. I can give her to you if you're ready to shake hands."

 **[… You know bad things happen to liars, don't you?]**

"Watch your tongue. You said it yourself, I'm leagues above Rias and Sona — you're not an exception," The gray-haired warned, "Interested or what?"

Diodora stayed quiet.

Danhauser toned down a chuckle, "Call back when you're no longer in denial."

Roygun watched in silence as the Vice-Principal faced her while pocketing his phone, "Diodora has important information that he doesn't want to share until I've done my part. Ajuka suspects it's about you."

She flinched inwardly when the name of the Satan she'd fooled back then left Danhauser's mouth. However, her senses returned once she'd mentally repeated his words a few times, "… About me?"

"Your mutated Clan Trait," Danhauser specified while taking a seat and opening the book of Nephilim where Asia's personal information was written, "Probably force your True Form in the middle of Ars Goetia," He took a picture and send the evidence to Diodora.

Roygun bit her lip while taking a seat in front of him, "As if I didn't have issues with the… Remaining Pillars already."

He pocketed his phone and noticed her staring at nothing, "Hey, don't let them get under your skin. You're great, you know."

A few moments of silence passed between them and Danhauser fought the urge to facepalm. He wasn't someone who had the ability to grant good compliments. He mostly saw the bad rather than the good in most people. It was easier.

It took a lot of time and effort, but Roygun finally reacted, "… Keep treating me well and my dream may come true~!"

Danhauser stared deep into her eyes after delivering her less cheerful response and a strained smile. Before he could open his mouth, his phone forced him to look away.

"Diodora," He spared his companion a single glance before answering the call, "What's up? Made up your mind already?"

 **[Who told you that?]** Diodora demanded with a snarl, **[Who told you I'm after her?]**

"… What kind of question is that?" Danhauser laughed, and he swore to hear a growl out of him, "Your Peerage is famous because it's made up of notorious holy maidens and nuns. I was just offering you the recent 'witch' that the Church had banished. I didn't know you got her in your sights. How convenient."

A playful lie.

Diodora stayed silent.

"Let's be real. Whenever you have free time from all the politics and stuff, you flee to the Human World to chase the next cute skirt that the Vatican labeled as heretic. I can give you the girl in _less_ than a week and you don't need to move a single finger," Danhauser paused, "Shalba doesn't have to know about this either… So? What do you say? Are you in or out?"

…

…

…

 **[Four days,]** Diodora said and Danhauser found himself smirking victoriously, **[In four days I'll go back to Kuoh and you better not be fucking lying!]**

"She'll be there," Danhauser assured him, "You better bring that folder. The _real_ version."

 **[See you at the abandoned church,]** Diodora simply said, killing the call.

 _"Making things easier for me, Diodora?"_ Flashing a confident smile at Roygun's direction, Danhauser kicked his legs up on the table to lean further back in his seat, "Ta-da."

Roygun rolled her eyes in return, "Then I guess you have the preparations ready for the negotiation?"

"Yep."

"What about the Governor-General? Did you tell him?"

"… Shit," Danhauser clicked his tongue and snatched a different phone, "This is my new life now. Making phone calls."

"How many do you have with you, by the way?"

"Four or five I think," He replied before focusing on the answered call, "Hello?"

 **[Azazel's house of whores. You name the vice, we name the price! What can we do ya for?]**

Danhauser snorted with a smile, "What was that?"

He could picture Azazel shrugging from the other phone line, **[Got bored from saying hello over the years. Thought it would be a good idea to come up with something original. Any thoughts? I'm open to feedback!]**

"I like it," Danhauser simply said, "I need a favor. I'm interested in the girl Asia Argento."

 **[Huh,]** Danhauser heard Azazel scratching his goatee, **[Weird. For a second I thought you were interested in Shigune Nanadaru — wielder of one of the Four Fiends."**

"And the strongest one," Danhauser was relieved someone like her found refuge under Grigori. After all, two of the Four Fiends were still imprisoned under Satanael. What made his gears grind was that those two were the main cast of Slash/Dog — Natsume Minagawa and Kouki Samejima and they still weren't rescued, a case that Tobio took hard, "But I bet you wouldn't accept."

 **[Bring me Gabriel and we shake hands!]** After booming a laugh, Azazel continued, **[Seriously though, why her? Sure. Twilight Healing is a pretty rare Sacred Gear — but it's not unique. You got a sub-species Longinus in your Peerage and — to top it off — you can heal your own wounds using Senjutsu, yeah?]**

Danhauser bit his lip, sinking into his chair. It's hard to determine Azazel's personality and his reaction to most events and topics. When Vali declared his betrayal to Grigori and joined Khaos Brigade to satisfy his thirst for a worthy battle. The old crow merely flashed a smirk, as if he had won a bet. It was obvious he was deeply hurt inside despite perceiving the act from miles away.

How would he behave when Danhauser shared his affiliation with the Old Satan Faction to the Fallen Angel? Sure, he would add he was a double agent as well, but would Azazel believe that part? Vali was a different circumstance — they had a father and son relationship. Azazel didn't see Danhauser as his son nor Danhauser saw Azazel as his father — associate at most.

"I'm working as a double agent to infiltrate the Old Satan Faction."

He decided to drop the bomb.

For an unknown reason, Roygun's stare was suddenly locked onto him after spitting such words. He pushed it aside and waited for Azazel to respond.

…

…

…

 **[… Huh, caught me off-guard,]** Azazel whistled, **[Kid, you really love sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, right?]**

Maybe Yasaka wasn't wrong at all. He was indeed a magnet of trouble.

"All for a better cause, old timer," Danhauser retorted, "What do you want in return?"

 **[Before jumping into that, answer me this last question,]** Azazel said, **[What does the Old Satan Faction want with that girl?]**

"I'm partnered with Diodora Astaroth who has a fetish over nuns and holy-maidens," The Devil explained, "We have a mission written in a document that he won't share until I kill Rias and Sona."

 **[Kill the Heiress of Gremory and Sitri?]** Azazel snickered in disbelief, **[Kid, you're gonna be dead meat if you pull a single hair out of their heads.]**

"That's why I need the girl, Azazel."

 **[Lemme guess. You're gonna bribe Diodora with her, is that it?]**

"That's the whole story," Danhauser didn't tell him he already made the deal, "So?"

…

 **[Tell you what — the nun is yours,]** Azazel accepted, quickly adding, **[ _But!_ I want a copy of what's inside that folder. Who knows what the hell those clowns have in mind.]**

Danhauser arched an eyebrow and said nothing, clearly waiting for him to add anything else, "That's it?"

 **[That's it. Unless you can _somehow_ make Gabriel fall from grace...]** The Fallen Angel dragged with a hint of hope in his voice.

Danhauser deadpanned, "You _really_ need to stop thinking about her."

 **[Don't tell me what to do, brat,]** Azazel warned humorously, **[Honestly, I don't like your plan, but I guess you're out of ideas...]**

"Hit it right in the nose."

 **[Hm. Thought so. Just make sure the girl doesn't actually end up in his hands. I'll send a few reinforcements to escort the girl to Kuoh Town. Later.]**

"She won't end up in his hands, right?"

Roygun was fast to tackle the conversation once Danhauser hanged the call.

Surprising it took her this much to berate him about this.

Then again, maybe she was still locked in her world because of the Old Satan Faction taking interest over her capabilities.

But that was Ajuka's theory — Danhauser hoped.

He turned his attention to the pink-haired devil, "Temporally," He saw the thin line her lips turned into, "There's a huge chance that Diodora could swindle me and give me fake data. I need to make sure it's the real deal."

"How are you going to determine whether it's an imitation or not?" Roygun asked, "When you have no clue what it is about."

"He told me it's a searching mission," Danhauser recalled, "That's all I know, unfortunately. I'll use Senjutsu to detect if he's lying once I ask for answers."

"Danhauser," Roygun only said his name like that when she was serious or sad, "The girl. Is it mandatory involving her in this mess?"

"She won't get hurt," The words fell from his mouth, a reflex, "Diodora won't pull a single hair out of her. I'll make sure of that. Word of honor."

Roygun batted a hand in the air, "I know she won't get injured, but what does a banished nun have to do with the Old Satan Faction or Ars Goetia?" She narrowed her eyes at him, questioning, "You understand you're using her as bait?"

"… It's too late for backing off," Danhauser said softly, "I've found what Diodora's feasts on and how to exploit it. I will _not_ misuse this opportunity. All I can promise you is her safety throughout the 'exchange'."

In Danhauser's view, a good outcome excused any wrongs committed to attain it — Roygun believed so. Him joining the Maou descendants and tangle an innocent bystander along the way were nods to her statements. Despite how much Danhauser assured both Cleria and her that it was for the best of all, both women weren't persuaded by his words.

She just hoped once he had acquired Diodora's documents he will burn bridges with the Old Satan Faction and drop the espionage stuff once for all.

His part of the discussion was over. Roygun folded her arms with a look of begrudging acceptance, "Was Cleria at least warned about this? You'll need her blessing to allow entrance to the Fallen Angels after all."

He groaned in return, "Crap. You're right," Quickly leaving his seat, he approached the exit of his office and unlocked the door for the pink-haired, "You coming? I'll take both of you out to eat if you want. There's still time left before Lunch is over."

"Hah… _charming_ ," Roygun cooed as she sashayed her way through the exit, "Food better be tasty, _Vice-Principal_."

"I'd rather die than disappoint you both," Danhauser laughed before locking his office.

.

* * *

.

"He should be coming right now," Raynare guaranteed, arms folded beneath her ample bust, "Any second now."

The blonde, Gothic Lolita kept propelling herself in the swing with a bored look. A big lollipop in hand, "You said that like the fifth time already. He's fucking late."

"Just wait."

"Didn't the Governor-General gave us his phone number? Just call him already."

"I did. He told us he's on his way. We just have to wait."

"Hmph! I bet he thinks only cool people are late."

"Lord Azazel told us he's a busy man," Raynare pointed out, "Stop acting like a crybaby and shut up."

Mittlet rambled quietly.

"E-Excuse me…"

Their heads wheeled at the new voice. It was a young boy by the age of ten or — if not more — toying with the corners of his shirt.

Such a forgettable face — they thought mutually.

"The hell you want?" Mittlet asked and Raynare facepalmed.

The boy winced before shyly pointing at the swing occupied by Mittlet, "C-can I use it?" He stuttered, "… I-I think it's my turn to —!"

"Fuck off squirt!"

Raynare watched flatly as the boy ran away in tears, "You're making a scene. Lord Azazel told us not to make a public scene."

Mittlet scoffed aloud, "Looks who's talking," She pointed with her lollipop at Raynare's choice of clothes, "Keep dressing like a one yen whore and you'll be _swimming_ in ugly bastards!"

Raynare huffed indignantly and said nothing. She refused to play her childish game, not for something Lord Azazel had assigned her. She was the smartest and most mature of the group with Kalawarner just behind. The washboard was just fumbling with jealousy and baiting her — she thought.

Her mind adjusted in matters at hand. She was nibbling her nails about the bond between her leader and this Devil. Weren't the Three Biblical Faction suffering from severed ties? What's the relationship between these two? Had they worked together long ago?

She couldn't tell.

A rumor had spread throughout Grigori's installations that one of the Fallen Angels' top fighters was a _reincarnated devil_ of all things. She didn't know if this was a myth or not. If it's the latter, then it would be obvious this reincarnated devil was a member of the Devil who patrolled this town.

How strong could he be? She didn't find thrill in combat as Dohnaseek would, but they were in unknown grounds and if the top fighter of Grigori resulted to be in Prince Belial's nobility, then Raynare and her group should tread lightly all over his territory. Unless they yearned for their feathers to be plucked one by one.

Plus, this Devil was a member of the Clan Belial. Those were pretty tough to fight against alone.

The Champion of the Rating Game was a nod to her statement.

Mittlet's groan disrupted her daydreaming, "Why is he taking too long…?!" She almost pulled her twin tails in despair, "He's as slow as old people fucking!"

"Who's slow?" A man's voice, refined and polished.

The hair behind the back of their necks stood up, and they cautiously turned around only for their hearts miss a beat.

A young man in a suit towered over them, looking at them with an eyebrow arched.

What made them pale like ghosts were the hair and eyes resembling the Rating Game Emperor — the Belial grey.

Raynare screamed inwardly.

"U-Umm…" Mittlet looked everywhere but him, her eyes settling on the candy stained in drool.

An idea popped up in her mind. She nervously offered her candy, "Lollipop?"

Danhauser stared, "I don't like candy."

…

…

…

She brought her lollipop to her mouth and lifted up a corner of her skirt, "Some fuck?"

Raynare almost cried out behind her hands. Plan backfire. Lord Azazel himself had told them to keep their nose clean in the town — an order both Raynare and Kalawarner took to heart. Unfortunately, their other two peers didn't bear the command in mind — seeing it as the mere wit of their goofy, high-spirited Governor-General.

The bastards. How do they dare to paint their leader as a clown?

Now, because of Mittlet's motor-mouth, they were doomed to a mouthful of pique coming from the gray-haired Devil and a good spanking by her higher-ups. Great. That's not how she wanted to give her first impression as a member of Grigori.

Danhauser blinked several times before laughing, "And get jailed? No thanks!"

Or maybe not.

Mittlet's head had been red from the start, but it only grew when she saw his cheeky smile, "Listen he—!"

Raynare was quick to cover her mouth. How much she wished she had duct tape in hand, "Prince Belial. Lord Azazel sent us here to escort someone — Asia Argento is her name I believe."

"Yep. That's the girl," Danhauser beckoned to follow, "Where is she?"

With a warning glare, Raynare slowly released Mittlet before following suit, "Two members of my team are waiting for her in the airport. They should be on their way here."

"Good to know," He harrumphed, "Any ideas where your team is going to stay in the meantime?"

Raynare nodded, "While flying our way in this town we'd spotted a church," she said, "By the looks of it, it appears to be abandoned."

"For four years that church hasn't been touched," Danhauser brought to mind, "All you're going to see in there is relics, dust, and cobwebs."

"We don't mind," Raynare suddenly smirked at her partner, "As long as we get to destroy a few religious icons that is~!"

Mittlet licked her lollipop and returned the expression in kind, "Best part of the job~!"

Danhauser eyed them both oddly, "Suuure," If he was interested in what was inside of the former base of Touji, he would have taken it long ago, "That's where the drama is going to happen in two days."

"Then we'll stay hidden once it happens," Raynare vowed, quickly averting her gaze, "… W-what's this 'drama' by the way?"

Danhauser spared her a brief glance before looking back to the front, "An exchange. That's all you need to know," He stopped and spun to face them, "Since you and your team are going to stay here for a few days. I expect you four to _behave_. We don't want to lessen the population of the Fallen Angels, agreed?"

A chill ran through their spines and quickly saluted simultaneously, "O-of course, Prince Belial!"

Danhauser eyed them both for a long second and smiled, "We're on the same page. Great," He resumed his walk, "Where's the delivery point is going to be by the way? At the abandoned church?"

"Yes, Prince Belial."

Danhauser pulled one of his phones to peek at the hour. Satisfied, he pocketed it back, "Any of you hungry? I'm starving here. Wanna stop somewhere to eat?"

"For free?" Mittlet had to ask.

"My treat," They better don't leave his wallet empty — he thought.

Mittlet's eyes lit up, "Really?!" She licked her lips, "Sign. Me. In!"

"H-Hold on!" Raynare wasn't easily convinced, "Prince Belial, shouldn't we focus for the — !"

"You want to think about strategies with an empty stomach?" Danhauser looked at her incredulously but stopped.

He absentmindedly stroked his chin,"… Nevermind. You're right. While I know what to do. There's a slight chance everything could fail horribly if we don't treat lightly… I can't afford to fail. Change of plans, ladies."

"Whaaat?" Mittlet invoked the puppy eyes, "For real?"

"For real," He eyed them both, Raynare in particular, "First, we need to urgently stop on a clothing store… I don't want someone to get any ideas."

Hopefully, clothes in discount were available.

Raynare growled, glaring daggers at her blonde partner who'd burst in a fit of laughter.

.

* * *

.

"A-Almost done!"

The extremely shy nun said, settling two cubes of sugar neatly on the porcelain teacup. Danhauser watched carefully as she poured the boiling water, the two sugar cubes dissolving. Unable to flee, the last remnants of sweetness crumbled under the dark brew.

Danhauser held his cup once it was completed. He stared at the blonde through the steam of his tea. Her emerald eyes contemplated him as if waiting for something. The intensive attention from the blonde had his grey eyebrow incline ever so slightly, "Something wrong?"

"T-the tea…" She awkwardly pointed at it, "Is it… good?"

Danhauser's eyes widened slightly in realization, "Oh, right. Sorry," He blew the steam and took a careful sip.

After savoring and gulping it for a good second, he winked at her. "My compliments!"

She brought a hand to her chest and sighed in relief, giggling, "Thank you. I was worried I may have added too much sugar…"

"It's all good," Danhauser set carefully his tea to the side, "But why make me some tea?"

He'd thought he would get a headache for stepping inside the deserted church because of his nature as a Devil. To his relief and surprise, Raynare and her squad destroyed any religious relic in the process out of spite for their former leader — God of the Bible. While they didn't do it for the sake of his health, their vandalism became handy in the end.

A shame they were forced to enjoy their picnic on the dusty floor since Raynare had thought it would be awesome to not spare even the chairs.

"As a way to show my gratitude, of course!" Asia beamed a smile, hands clasped, "I never expected to meet someone who could speak my tongue and guide me in this town. Oh, this is thanks to the Lord!"

Danhauser ignored the throb in his head, "Guide you?" He repeated, batting a hand into the air, "You got the wrong guy. That was Raynare and her goons. You should thank them too, you know?"

"A-ah!" Asia looked down, fidgeting, "I-I tried to invite them to drink some tea with us… but they, um, declined. They told me they were just following your orders…"

"… I see."

A heavy silence settled upon them, so thick that someone could cut it with a knife. Unsettled eyes glanced unceremoniously around and tried to avoid catching their own glances. From time to time, the drinkers took a quick sip but still said nothing.

 _"Why is it so difficult to hold a conversation…?"_ He pinched his nose when Asia wasn't looking. He could speak to family, friends, work colleagues and other people with authority such as Azazel and Ajuka just fine.

But here he was, pondering whether talking about the weather with the nun was an excellent idea or not.

As the future Head of Belial, that wasn't tolerable.

"E-excuse me…" Asia rose a hand like a student full of doubt, "Can I ask you something?"

Danhauser warily narrowed his eyes but gave her the 'go on' gesture.

"Why did you help me?"

He stared for a long second, putting the nun a bit on the edge. His expression softened, "You will see," He said before nodding at her, "What about you? A bit surprised that a follower of Him would not distrust a Fallen Angel."

"Oh! Oh! You may have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy'," Asia quoted sagely, "But the Bible said to us, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven!"

The blonde had trouble socializing, but whenever the conversation involved anything about her religion, the girl took a one-eighty degree turn.

"Besides…" She averted her eyes, twiddling her thumbs up and down, "I didn't have anywhere to go…"

Danhauser lowered his gaze, staring inside his half-empty tea, "They gave you a chance and you took it," He drank the remaining tea with one gulp.

"Y-yes…" She drawled before meeting his grey eyes with resolve and happiness, "I-I promise I'll be useful in this town! First, I'll start by cleaning this church!"

Danhauser looked around the ruined place, "That's a tough challenge," He stated, "Are you sure you're up to that?"

"Yes I am…!"

He smiled, "Alright. I'll leave it to you."

…

…

…

"D-do you have black wings too?" Asia tried to pat her own back, no avail, "Are you like them…?"

Danhauser grinned down at her, "What if I am?"

At cue, they looked up in sync when a green light illuminated the abandoned church.

Danhauser felt his jaw tightening, "So, it's time," He stood up with a sigh.

"T-time?" Asia followed suit, "Time for what…?"

He looked at her with pity, like she was a homeless girl asking for a coin.

The light dimmed and a familiar figure left the circle, "Alright, Danhauser. Where's the…"

…

…

…

Diodora didn't think twice and marched forward with a stupid grin, stopping halfway as an arm blocked further progress.

His nails dug deep into his palms, forcing a smile, "What now?"

"The document," Danhauser stepped between the green-haired Devil and the blonde nun, hand outstretched, "Or no girl."

Diodora hesitated, glancing from the waiting hand to the grey eyes and behind his partner in crime.

He saw her.

And time slowed down.

Golden hair cascading all the way to her back.

Green eyes shimmering with naiveté.

The sinless face of a beautiful, young maiden.

Her beauty and innocence could even put angels to shame.

So gentle. So pure.

So corruptible.

His instincts as a Devil drove him into his desires, begging him to mark her like the many nuns and holy-maidens that had met him. He felt his heart beat in rapid succession. It even filled Diodora with a taste of grief to see the former nun away from his grasp.

He wanted to taint it — her everything.

"… Fine!" Diodora yielded, invoking the folder and shoving it to Danhauser's chest, "Keep it! Let me see her!"

Reluctantly, Danhauser took a slow step to the side and opened the folder, engrossing himself in the reading.

"U-umm…" Diodora quickly centered on the puzzled girl, "W-what's happening?"

He completely ignored the question, merely cutting distances between them, "Asia Argento… we meet again. I'm Diodora Astaroth."

She tilted her head to the side.

"… I understand," He flashed a small smile, "I was told I have a forgettable face. Here, maybe this will help…"

Asia saw him unbuttoning his shirt. In return, her cheeks were suddenly kissed pink as a spring rose. She quickly covered her eyes, "W-wait, please!"

"If it wasn't for you, I would die in a pool of my own blood back then," He evoked, "But because of your kindness and your Sacred Gear, I was gifted with another chance to live."

Hesitantly, she uncovered her eyes and her breath hitched, "T-that scar…" Her digits absentmindedly brushed over the X-shaped scar covering most of his chest, "… I healed that?"

He grabbed her hand and kissed it, dropping to one knee, "If love at first sight exists, then I may as well be experiencing it. Asia Argento, please! Become my woman! Marry me!"

Asia's blush seared through her cheeks and for a minute she thought her face was on fire. She suddenly felt awkward, demure, and coy – even going as far as attempting to hide her embarrassment behind her digits. The blonde haired nun knew that those golden eyes were locked on her – all eagerly waiting for a reaction, a response, like a predatory beast.

But she couldn't speak, she was loss of words.

"What is this bullshit, Diodora?" Danhauser ruined their moment as he stormed to their direction, "Is this for real?"

To Asia's surprise, Diodora wasn't genuinely offended by his intrusion. On the contrary, the man stood up and flickered a psychotic smirk, "Whoa. Relax, Danhauser! What's with the language? Don't swear in front of my fiancée, pretty please?"

"I-I'm not your…"

Danhauser sharply shook the folder near his face for emphasis, "I read half of it already. How reliable is this?"

"Trustworthy enough for Shalba to put pressure on you so we can proceed on the mission," Diodora fluttered his golden eyes and grinned morbidly, "Believe me, it caught me off-guard as well."

Asia cocked her head to the side, not following.

This wasn't just a piece of paper and a string of prayers. For Danhauser, this was a map to power. "Holy shit…"

Diodora couldn't help but laugh at his bewildered expression, "Amazing, isn't it? No matter how small this world is, there are people like her that could be born and hide in the shadows _so_ easily... If there really is such a thing as fate and miracles, she may as well be that. Or maybe an abomination, it all depends on perspective. Wouldn't you agree, Danhauser?"

The gray-haired paid him no mind. His gaze repeatedly switching from Diodora to the files in his grasp.

Diodora didn't mind as he summoned a magic circle, wrapping an arm around Asia, "Well, if you don't mind, I'll take my leave with — !"

"You won't," Applying a growing pressure to his shoulder and lifting Diodora off his feet. Danhauser smashed him against the wall, rattling his bones and sending dust billowing into the air.

Danhauser disregarded Asia's shriek of horror, fixated in his strangled prey, "Diodora Astaroth. You're under arrest for the murder of the Glasya-Labolas Heir as well as plotting future terror attacks with the Old Satan Faction."

The girl heard none of his words, deaf. Her wide eyes haunted by the sight.

"Y-You fucking tr-traitor…!" Diodora managed to choke out, trying to break free of the strong grip, "H-had… to kill you… the c-chance I got…!"

"Kill me?" The gray Devil repeated, letting a low growl roll over his whisper, "You think you stand a chance?"

His head shook out a terrified no, but his wicked hand fiddled a spell ready to fire. He squinted from the blinding radiance of his magic circle. He was desperate to drive the spell into his skull, anything to get Danhauser away from him.

"Go ahead," Danhauser challenged.

His eyes widened in surprise, but he didn't let his permission linger long. He took aim at his face and fired, but nothing happened, his magic supply rendered worthless.

Nonetheless, he'd fought back, kicking the air, trying to claw his face, even scream and throw temper tantrums, to no avail.

Shock registered on his face when Danhauser placed his other hand in his chest before letting him go.

…

…

…

The effects were instantaneous. On his knees, he felt his torso being squeezed in a vice that mildly grew and grew. It felt as if his lungs weren't there as he'd tried to suck the air in. He could feel his muscles straining and the thoughts in his head turning from fear to a dizzy confusion.

What's happening?

What's wrong?

Was the air gone?

But if the audience around him could breathe properly, why couldn't he?

Why was it so suddenly hard!?

He clutched his chest and strived to glare daggers at the one responsible of his illness, noticing his hand warped in grey, demonic energy — in Worthlessness.

He didn't hold back the loud gasp as he'd attempted to fill his lungs. Even trying to speak up only to choke on his own words.

Danhauser stared up as it echoed from the abandoned church. The moonlight gleamed through the heavily cracked stained-glass windows, casting an eerie glow onto the dusty alter. A baby angel was pressed to the colored glass — watching and smiling.

He turned back to Diodora once he'd heard a sigh of relief. His breath seemed to stutter in his lungs before he let it go, feeling the tension drain from his system. His health back to normal. Truly, the body of a Devil was far superior to the likes of a mere human.

He summoned his spear and let the tip brush the quivering pulse in the neck of the Devil underneath him.

"Fight back, and I'll do it again," He promised.

"N-no don't!"

Danhauser drew his weapon back when the exiled nun quickly stood in front of Diodora, acting as his personal shield. He halted his attack in return. He had to expect this outcome — this was Asia Argento after all. The girl who wouldn't wound even a fly.

Diodora scrambled to his feet and wheezed, using the wall as support while snarling at the gray-haired Devil. Beneath those golden eyes, there was fear and confusion, "My… m-my heart… you — "

"I-I'm begging you…" Asia pleaded shakily. Her Sacred Gear already in her fingers, "N-no more…"

"Don't tell me you're protecting _him_ ," Danhauser said, low and even, "Just look at him. _Cowering_ behind you. Only if you knew what he had planned with you."

Before Asia could cite any arguments, a tendril of resin yanked her out of harm, leaving a frozen Diodora exposed.

It all took a smack of the butt of his spear onto Diodora's skull to send him stumbling to the ground, unconscious.

The one-sided fight finished in his favor — as expected.

He heard the cry followed by Asia ran passing him. He watched her drop to her knees as her hands were surrounded by a green glow — muttering a prayer under her breath.

Behind them, the heavy oak doors broke open, echoing around the empty church. Danhauser glanced behind to see four familiar Fallen Angels approaching him.

"W-we heard the scream," Raynare spoke for the group, awkwardly gesturing at the anxious blonde in the distance, "I guess it came from her…?"

"Yes," Danhauser massaged his neck, "She's healing the target. Had to drop him unconscious just to make things easier when I restrain him."

"Aw, fuck!" Mittlet pouted, "I missed it! The beatdown!"

Kalawarner chuckled at her whines, "Relax. It appears there's going to be a round-two," She noticed the nun attending the devil in the background, "And lucky us, we're in the front row."

Dohnaseek said nothing, but his eyes sparked with interest.

"Sorry, I was told to bring him unbruised," Danhauser stated, walking where Asia was doing her work, "As much as I would love to beat him more..."

He approached Asia as an innocent animal he wouldn't wish to startle. The nun saw him and quickly blocked any passage between Danhauser and Diodora.

"H-he's already had enough!" Asia stuttered, "Please, let him go!"

"You're protecting a criminal," Danhauser remarked and her eyes broadened, "Someone who had it in mind to provoke chaos in the Underworld."

"U-Underworld?" Asia parroted quietly, unaware of Danhauser hauling her carefully to the side, "A Devil… you're a Devil."

He tossed the fully healed Diodora onto his shoulder like a bag of potatoes and started marching for the door, "Go with Raynare," Danhauser encouraged gently, "They'll show you your new home."

"H-home?" Asia sniffed, her emerald eyes locked onto him, "You almost _killed_ s-someone…! You want me t-to go home and pretend any of this didn't h-happen…?"

"Don't be naive. Of course it happened," Danhauser said, softening his tone, "Diodora was proposing you to expand his collection. He's captured now, you're in safe hands."

"C-collection?" The girl wore a puzzled look, "W-what do you mean?"

…

Danhauser nodded to the Fallen Angels, "Please make sure she doesn't get hurt."

They saluted simultaneously, "Yes, Prince Belial!"

"Belial…" Danhauser heard Asia gasping in realization, "Y-you're the one behind Saint Jeanne's disappearance…"

He looked at Asia. Whether it was her first time or not, she had seen the violent face of someone's duty, what he could never bring himself to show his family. Roygun was right, he shouldn't have to push Asia into this. If he wasn't so desperate, he could find another solution — a less risky plan.

But what's done cannot be undone. The good news was that he successfully stole the folder from Diodora's perverse fingers and the latter was facing imprisonment or execution once he'd returned handcuffed to Ars Goetia. Now, he needed to find a way to reveal the existence of Ouroboros and Khaos Brigade, that alone should persuade a Peace Treaty.

Because what happened four years ago had made the Three Biblical Faction bitter.

But most importantly, he had secured an invitation to the Youth Devil Gathering.

A chance to fix past errors.

It was worth it.

 _Totally_ worth it.

Unfortunately, another issue cropped up. The blonde nun was fated to stay in Kuoh Town. He couldn't let Asia saunter down the road with images of this juncture. Zekram himself had cautioned him that no one — except his peerage and Housecarl — should know about his relationship with the Old Satan Faction.

It could backfire horribly.

It could ruin everything he'd worked for.

Finally, he faced Raynare, "Alter her memories," He ordered, "Wipe the memories and all records of this scene. No witnesses."

"Yes, Prince Belial!"

The nun's mind didn't process the cold hands gripping both wrists, dragging her to a different direction. Her puffy eyes attached on the man behind Saint Jeanne's desertion, "W-where is she?" She all but demanded of the retreating Devil, "W-what did you do to her…?"

"She's in safe hands," It's all the gray-haired said before summoning a circle under his feet.

She wasn't satisfied with his short answer. Unfortunately, he teleported away before she could insist for more answers.

"Let's go," Raynare said sharply, "You'd heard him. To your new home."

It was a matter of time before she disappeared as well.

.

* * *

.

Raynare yawned behind her hand as she glared lightly at her target from far away.

Sitting alone on a bench and letting her timid eyes swing from left to right constantly was Asia Argento — the nun they were charged to ward from the time being.

Time had flown since the day Prince Belial had ordered them to erase her memories. They would take turns to spy on her whenever the blonde desired to take a peaceful walk around the town. Today was her lucky day, she was the babysitter of the exiled nun. Yay.

Asia's 'first' days involved asking for directions in her native tongue and either getting confused looks or be completely ignored. Humans weren't capable of translating as quick as a creature of the supernatural world would. They had to take classes to speak and read the language they yearned to learn and master. A few succeeded, others dropped the towel.

Luckily for Asia, she found a single friend so far. Someone who could speak Italian fluently.

It must be sad to be human — she thought. They were way below on the food chain. Only a few had potential, those who were born with a Longinus and wield demonic and holy weapons.

Other than that, the rest were pretty much dead weight. It made her ponder why Lord Azazel would waste space for humans with third-rate Sacred Gears. She would just extract them and move on for the next one.

They won't be remembered.

"A-Asia!" A familiar voice, one full of fatigue.

The blonde tore her eyes off the ground. She brightened up like a bulb, "Ise! You made it!"

The brunet laid his hands on his knees, taking deep breaths before he straightened himself with a strained grin, "Yeah…" He rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling sheepishly, "… Sorry for being late. School sometimes can be a pain…"

Raynare didn't move a single finger, letting the script play its part.

"It must be a fun experience," Asia gushed, hands clasped, "One day, I wish I could study at a school and make a lot of friends…"

Issei flashed her a thumps-up, "You will!" He said determinately, "Just approach them and speak to them, just like you did with me!"

She looked down, "I-I tried to… but they ignored me and left."

 _"Learn Japanese,"_ Raynare rolled her eyes but kept her mouth shut.

"Oh, really?" Issei growled, "Well, screw them! Who cares about them?! They're just idiots! That's why, despite our meeting was bizarre, and it was a short one as well, I got to become your friend. Will you please be my friend? I'll take you somewhere to eat."

"Teehee…" Asia giggled, her cheeks dusted in pink, "Y-you said some weirds things, Ise… but yes. I would love to be your friend."

Issei's grin stretched from ear to ear as his body churned up in anticipation, "Awesome! I know a great place where they sell good hamburgers, wanna go with me?"

"Y-yes, please! Take care of me!"

Raynare eyed them sourly and huffed. Kalawarner would point out playfully they were slowly developing their relationship, that slowly, but surely, they would fall in love for one another.

"Love my ass," There was no love, only people using other people. They were in denial if they thought otherwise, or perhaps in their mental weakness, they cannot accept other people or even themselves for what they are? Their brain must construct complicated notions of things that do not and cannot exist to soothe themselves.

Humans were weird animals.

"Not a fan of vanilla romance?" Raynare quickly spun to see Danhauser approaching, "Hello."

"P-Prince Belial," Raynare greeted with a cordial salute before focusing back on her mission, "I wasn't expecting you to come here."

Danhauser didn't reply and joined her sightseeing. He was surprised how quickly Issei bonded with Asia, _"Maybe because of Asia's compatibility with dragons? That's how she got Fafnir after all."_

"Wearing the clothes I bought you, eh?" Danhauser said, sparing her companion a look of approval, "They look great on you."

 _"Clothes…?"_ Raynare's eyebrow twitched and looked down at her black jacket. That's it. A black leather jacket that hid her BDSM armor and showed a little of her thighs. He didn't even dare to buy some jeans to finish her attire, "You just bought me a cheap jacket."

Danhauser chuckled, "Well, it was the only thing in discount," He brushed away the wrinkles on her shoulder, "What's with the pout? It's a good brand with a fine texture. And black. Like your wings, am I right?"

She didn't know if he was being sarcastic or not. If the latter, then his harem must be blindly in love with him to accept 'meh' gifts with their heart's content or at least brainwashed.

Or be good in bed.

She pushed her thoughts away and stuffed her hands onto her jacket pockets, "While I'm flattered by your praise Prince Belial, I think you're here because something important arose."

She watched as the Devil materialized a file in his grasp. He lent it to her, "This bad boy right here is the cause of your presence in Kuoh Town. I need you to go back to Grigori and deliver it to the Governor-General. Take your whole team with you for a safer travel."

As her fingers firmly wrapped around the folder and softly pulled back, Danhauser's tightened his grip over it, "Protect it with your life. I don't want your leader to get angry with me and — by any means — _do not_ peek what's inside. Unless you want to get in trouble. Understood?"

She shrunk when his eyes bored through hers, "Y-Yes, understood."

He stared at her for a long second before dubiously releasing the delivery package, "Any questions?"

"What of the nun?" Raynare rushed her question.

Danhauser raised an eyebrow in return, "What about her? I made a deal with your leader. The girl for a copy of the document. She'll stay here from now on. Anything else?"

Raynare frowned deep in thought, "Are we going to come back here to Kuoh?"

"Loving the town already?" He smiled faintly, "That depends on whether if there's a mission that involved us and the Governor-General chose you four as representatives of Grigori or not. Other than that you can't come to this town anymore. Remember, we're still in conflict thanks to past mistakes."

"… I see," Raynare slowly nodded, "That's all."

"Then better get moving," Danhauser said, "The sooner that folder ends up in your leader's hands, the better. Good luck."

The Fallen Angel, saluted, spread her wings and took flight, leaving behind a trail of loose feathers.

…

He knew very well. Danhauser knew his actions had caused a few ripples in the storyline that affected the main cast and the timeline itself.

From Issei's Sacred Gear not evolving into the Boosted Gear and not getting traumatized by Raynare's actions to Asia not joining their peerage.

And many more.

"But if I didn't lift a single finger, then I wouldn't be invited to the Devil Young Gathering," Lucky him, he's guaranteed himself a spot thanks to his intervention and espionage accomplishments.

A final glance at their direction and Danhauser took a different track, leaving Issei and Asia to enjoy their day together.

Such changes just made their upcoming Rating Game end in his favor. Yet, Danhauser believed he had the upper hand regardless if Issei used Balance Break and Asia became Rias' Bishop. Thus, he wasn't worried so much on that scenario.

Rias had it rough, especially because of her arranged wedding.

Where he was almost sweating bullets was anything that didn't circle the Rating Game.

Khaos Brigade as a whole.

As the main protagonist of the Light Novels, Issei had been fighting each organization — which were a loosely knit that composed the Army of Disaster — and left victorious with a new power-up in his arsenal for future fights. Each Faction became officially disbanded after feeling the wrath of the Sekiryuutei.

Will Issei's strength develop like in the Light Novels? Will Asia join Rias' Peerage in the future because of Issei's influence? Or did Danhauser rip it to shreds?

He didn't know.

 _"As long as they don't capture or extract one of Valerie's Sephiroth Graal's then no infamous Evil Dragons will be revived,"_ And sure as hell, he won't let Rizevim get near her.

He will protect the Little Missus. No matter what.

Which brought the next question. What was Rizevim's next move? And, to an extent, Satanael's? They purposely disappeared from the radar and these two were impossible to comprehend. Deep down, he knew they weren't just going to sit with arms folded and watch the paint dry or the grass grow.

Knowing Rizevim's personality, he was preparing something big that could shake the loose balance of this world.

Most likely the Beast of Apocalypse — Trihexa 666 — played a huge role in Rizevim's goal.

But the question was how? How could they awaken it? Was Incinerate Anthem efficient enough to break all those forbidden seals that the Biblical God had placed upon it? The King Piece they had served a purpose at all?

He didn't know.

The Light Novels was his guardian angel. His bible back then when he wasn't knocking on canon's doors. Because of it, he could recruit Slash Dog into his peerage, uncover the King Piece, make sure Diehauser didn't get imprisoned because of the latter and rescue Cleria from her execution.

Unfortunately, such actions weighted him down a lot.

Maybe he still could ride on the Light Novel's coattails. But for how much would it last after all the alterations he'd committed in the past? It was a matter of time before it would burn out of its usefulness.

He didn't know.

That's what he'd feared.

The fear of not knowing what's coming next. At this point, Danhauser believed he was just beating a dead horse by clinging hopelessly on the Light Novels.

That fear only grew whenever his mind recapped Shalba's document that he'd stolen from Diodora.

New faces were coming.

Were these new faces allies or foes? That was the big question.

"All this time I thought you were the only hybrid with Maou lineage, Vali," Danhauser's expression darkened, "I was dead wrong."

.

* * *

 **.**

 **Mike - That chapter has to be my favorite one tbh. Glad someone else shares the same thoughts!**

 **Guest - Glad you liked my fic, sorry for making you guys wait a lot, lol. But here it is!**

 **Guest -And here I thought I screwed up the beggining of canon timeline. Good to know I left a good impression.**

 **Gravy - Haha. Yeah, sure.**

 **Black - If Cao Cao would be satisfied with True Longinus' firepower then he would lose his Balance Breaker and sub-species Balance Breaker, it was shown in the Light Novels that someone could lose it because of that. In my opinion, it's his arrogance that kept him from sharpening his skills, I could be wrong tho.**

 **Guest - I already had the pairings since chapter 1, Asia is not one of them.**

 **F4 - Something tells me you don't like Diodora, lol. What I had planned for him later in the future tells me you'll love it :p.**

 **Kalmaegi - That Dan's nickname you came up with, it will make a fine addition to my collection.**

* * *

 **Thus, the Raynare Arc is over. Like I said before, the Arc was gonna be short. If I somehow madethe Arc longer it would come up really forced because, you know, Danhauser won't stand there with arms crossed.**

 **Plus, Raynare and her goons are nothing against Danhauser and/or Roygun (despite losing her King Piece).**

 **Also, don't expect the Phenex Arc being too long, either. I dunno why, but that has to be my least favorite arc, no offense to anyone who likes it, though.**

 **Hope you guys liked the chapter. Cheers!**

* * *

 **Life.1: Maou Bloodline**


	32. Maou Bloodline

**Life.2: Maou Bloodline**

 **.**

* * *

.

Everything backlashed.

The mainstream media had been boiling up to this point — Shalba figured. Aside from the exposure of Diodora and his allegiance with the Old Satan Faction, his crime behind the murder of the Glasya-Labolas Heir in the background also came to light, pushing Shalba against the ropes. It had been weeks and they just couldn't drop it already and move on.

He couldn't counteract this catastrophe, thus forcing him to scurry into the shadows like a mouse until the turbulence settled down. Obviously, such action came with a consequence. The Anti-Maou Faction would now take matters into their own hands — whether increasing their security system or going after them. It was only a matter of time before the Fake Satans were standing right at their doorstep, ready to eradicate them. A hard truth that Shalba had a hard time swallowing.

 _"I ordered that worm to silently execute his target and clean all the evidence and he still fails?!"_ Shalba's demonic energy spiked at the thought, glaring daggers at the television, _"… Tch. To think I had to recruit someone like him. Had I really become that desperate?"_

Speaking of which: on the screen, he saw the crazed green-haired Devil being led out of the building handcuffed and gagged, struggling against a pair of burly guards and crying out for his immediate release. He tried screaming bloody murder at the photographers, cursing their Houses, to no avail. The trial took weeks, but the court finally sentenced the traitor of the Remaining Pillars accordingly.

Good. That insect better be hanged — Shalba hoped.

"Creuserey," Shalba called out afterward, eyes not looking away from the big screen, "Any response from the Descendants of Heroes?"

Creuserey, who was leaning on a wall this whole time, smacked his lips. That was a bad sign, "I had a word with them. They have no interest in lending us the Dimension Lost possessor any longer."

"… You're kidding," and as expected, Shalba didn't take the news lightly, "We need that Sacred Gear to breach through Ars Goetia! What made them change their minds?!"

"Your minion's imprisonment — Diodora. The mainstream media made them have second thoughts," Creuserey left the wall to join him, nails digging deeply into his palms, "… Amateurs… a bunch of humans called us amateur leaders…!"

"That cocky brat. Just because he was gifted the Ultimate Longinus and is descendant of a warlord he deems himself untouchable," Shalba sneered, "Big man with a holy spear. Take that off, what's left? A dog that barks but doesn't bite!"

"You two should come to see this, Creuserey, Shalba," a woman's voice, refined and strict, "I believe I know who caught the Astaroth Heir red-handed."

He finally tore his sharp eyes from the television and settled over the voluptuous woman approaching, "Who?"

She picked up the remote sitting unattended, flicking the viewscreen nearby over to another channel.

The first thing the Maou descendants stumbled upon was the halfway finished Interview TV Show hosted by Naud Gamigin.

Shalba couldn't care less about the mediocre host, his attention fixated on the invited guest. The actual Head of the Clan Bael.

Lord Bael and Naud shared a laugh, twirling their liquor in sync, **[Amazing! Truly amazing! As expected of the Great King himself to uncover the crime behind the murder of the Glasya-Labolas Heir. Tell us, what made you adamant to capture the guilty party behind this atrocity?]**

 **[… Four years back, the figure's manifesto behind the Diehauser Belial Broadcast Intrusion had in mind to cultivate division and conflict within Ars Goetia and the Underworld itself. And from there, it would snowball as more and more people either got the erroneous information or straight up deceit to make the situation worse,]** Lord Bael's expression sharpened, **[He succeeded. Whatever the Heir of Astaroth had in mind could open old wounds and threaten the Devil race once again. As the Great King himself, it's my obligation to make sure history does not repeat itself!]**

Naud laughed once more, facing the audience with arms wide open and a grin, **[The Great King has spoken ladies and gentlemen!]**

A round of applause erupted after his speech.

 **[As long as I am the Head of the Great King Bael, not a single terrorist will scratch the unbreakable walls of Ars Goetia!]** Lord Bael glared at the cameras. Shalba felt his intense stare clashing with his, **[This is your last warning, Old Satan Faction.]**

A blast of demonic power impacted with the television, scattering shards and dust everywhere.

Creuserey and Katerea had to step back when a stray bolt of raw, demonic power left the Beelzebub's body.

"Those bastards…!" Shalba managed to snarl out, "Just spouting propaganda — what their people have been programmed to believe!"

Katerea adjusted her glasses, her blood boiling a bit too, "What's our next move, Shalba?"

Her question caused Shalba to grow silent for a while. A minute passed and he peeked over his shoulder, "Communicate with 'Mastema'."

"As you wish," Katerea in response put out her hand, flat with palm up and shaped a small magic circle above it. There was only silence in the room as the three Maou descendants waited for their agent to pick up the call.

A grey, holographic figure appeared above Katerea's magic circle. A young man wearing a suit. Danhauser Belial himself.

The gray-haired youth quickly took action and kneeled in respect, **[How may I serve you, Lord Beelzebub?]**

Shalba batted a hand to the air, signaling him to get up, "Are you aware of your partner getting apprehended after being caught by the Great King?"

He watched as the Heir of Belial straightened himself, patting down his clothes, **[It's everywhere,]** Danhauser replied casually, **[Thousands of articles are being uploaded as we speak.]**

"So I've noticed," Shalba said, vein in his head throbbing as he grounded his teeth, "Now, because of that worm it's impossible to take further actions."

Even so, regardless if Diodora's crime wasn't brought into the open, they couldn't attack Ars Goetia now that the Hero Faction wouldn't provide them the Longinus — Dimension Lost. A vital key to further Shalba's plans. The only way to guarantee safe teleportation into their enemy's main quarters and a clean retreat.

The more he thought about this, the more he wished to annihilate the Hero Faction and strangle Diodora with his own hands.

He urgently needed a drink. So badly.

 **[Why was he important?]** Danhauser asked, arms folded, **[Call me blind, but I have never seen any strong points coming out of him.]**

Shalba glanced at his direction, annoyed, "Unlike you, he's a member of a high-ranking Clan within the Remaining Pillar, thus giving him more privileges, fame, and fortune that you'll never grasp."

The Heir tightened his jaw at that.

Danhauser had the skills to fight but lacked political authority. Diodora had high status but was horrible in close quarters combat. They were the perfect team. Patching each other's flaws wonderfully. A shame Diodora and his boner had to devastate everything the Old Satan Faction had schemed for years.

Not everything at least. Shalba still needed the girl that Creuserey spoke about.

"But that could change," Shalba continued, ignoring the pissed Belial, "The Clan Belial can reclaim what they had lost four years ago. However, for that to happen, the Old Satan Faction must overthrow the current Devil government first. You know what that means, right?"

 **[… Tell me what to do and I'll do it in your name.]**

Now that was a good soldier. One who'd follow orders without showing hesitance, "Change of plans, Mastema. Forget killing the heiresses. I'll send someone to your town to hand over your new mission. Understood?"

 **[Understood, Lord Beelzebub.]**

"And remember," Shalba rose a warning finger, "Your achievements are for the benefit of the Old Maou and your Housecarl. Failing is not an option!"

 **[I'll do my best to not disappoint you.]**

"Good," He waved him away, "Dismissed."

.

* * *

.

 _"Motherfucker,"_ Danhauser huffed once he was done discussing with his superior. It was an exhausting weekend, and that was just the tip of the iceberg. Shalba was still crawling on his back. Him finding out Diodora was arrested led him to stop Danhauser from assassinating the heiresses of Gremory and Sitri — most likely to make sure he didn't lose more troops when the big event comes.

After he'd teleported Diodora handcuffed back to Ars Goetia and making a copy of Shalba's document for Azazel, he tried to relax in his house with Cleria's and Roygun's company to forget anything that had transpired in the abandoned church and move on, but that was easier said than done. Mostly because he still had his mind run through his memories in search of this girl that Shalba was fascinated about. Any glimpse of her name or powers somewhere hidden in the Light Novels — but nothing.

A part of him was curious about meeting her in person, but at the same time, he wanted her distanced from him. She was a target. If Shalba somehow discovered Danhauser had any secret connection with the girl — all his hard work would crumble to ruins.

"Hellooo? Earth to Danny?" The gray-haired recoiled back to reality when something small impacted with his forehead and bounced off, "Do you copy?"

Danhauser was wholly unimpressed after seeing who did the crime. He dodged the second projectile with ease, "Are you done?"

Cleria pouted, "It depends. Are you going to space off while I'm talking to you?" She grumbled while biting the toast on her plate, "Cute girls don't like that, y'know?"

"Alright, alright, my bad," Danhauser apologized, because he'd lacked the energy to start an argument with his cousin in the table and middle of the night. Plus Roygun was already snoring in her room.

Cleria examined him up and down before tackling the subject once again, "I asked you when your peerage is coming back?"

"In a few days, actually," Danhauser responded, gulping his food, "But they won't show up in Kuoh. Tobio suggested meeting up in his bar which is in Ryuukou Town."

…

"Why are you still working for that terrorist?" she addressed the elephant in the room, "I thought once you received a pass on the Youth Devil Gathering you'd drop this espionage stuff."

The whole reason why Danhauser had accepted to become the mole for the higher-ups of Ars Goetia was to ensure his place in the impeding Youth Devil Gathering. He'd passed the mission with flying colors. Why was he still taking orders from them?

"You're wrong. The Youth Devil Gathering was just the stepping stone," Danhauser said, "Capturing Diodora was too."

Obtaining great achievement in the times of crisis or situations as well as including exceptional ability or skill in combat. Indeed, military accomplishments were the only way for the Clan Belial to gain power. _Faster._

Rating Games wouldn't help his family to rise up from rank. If that was the case, then Diehauser's unstoppable streak of victories would be sufficient to pull the Belial Clan back to its pedestal. The Rating Games only helped to raise a person's rank in the Underworld. Such as Ruval who was a candidate to become an Ultimate-Class, but his Housecarl would stay in the same status.

The thought of Diehauser still being a High-Class Devil such as himself made his eye twitch. Despite his undefeated matches, the higher-ups didn't bat an eye at his direction. Mostly because his older brother was still treated as a "cheater" amongst the audience and mainstream media. If the Council offered him a place to become an Ultimate-Class alongside Ruval, society would see red.

Heck, just because they announced Ruval's promotion, a few were against it and made sure to show it on the streets of Lilith.

"Then why go to the Rating Games?"

"Two reasons," Danhauser raised two fingers for emphasis, "The money and to clean our name."

He knew he first needed to clear the name of his Household before they could get promoted or else his family would also get the same treatment that Ruval got. Unfortunately, no matter how many good deeds and accomplishments he would achieve for the sake of Ars Goetia, there were always a few groups who would oppose it. At must, he could lessen the animosity against his Clan.

"Clear our name?" Cleria repeated, then a furrowed frown, "You think everyone is gonna forgive us?"

"Let's be real, not all of them," he said immediately. A pause, "Maybe a few would have a change of heart and mind and support us once more."

…

…

…

"Your mother is scared, you know," she saw Danhauser clicking his tongue. She continued regardless, "We are, too. The day you told us you were working as a spy almost made her faint. It also shocked Diehauser and me. Your mother was right. You should drop this before Shalba does something bad to you."

"What? Kill me?" Danhauser said with an offended scoff, only just managing to keep his tone on the right side of civil. "If those clowns can kill me, I must have seriously been slipping during my training."

"Don't get cocky, _Danhauser!"_ Cleria warned him, expression hardened, "Fine. Maybe you can do a one-on-one fight, but what if you are taking the three of them at the same time?"

Danhauser drummed his fingers on his desk, staring absentmindedly into the begging and worried eyes of his cousin. He finally responded, "I'll use True Form."

Cleria laughed half-heartedly, "… You can't use it, remember? The council of Ars Goetia hasn't permitted you to trigger it! Neither the Extra Demons or City of Dis would allow you to do it in their territories."

Since Grigori and the Realm of Hades were other sections of the Underworld, Danhauser also had to ask for their authorization. Azazel would be easy. The Governor-General may at first be hesitant, but he would grant his approvance once he understood the big picture.

The Greek God of the Dead was a different and complicated one. He, after all, despised other mythologies — his hatred mostly fixated on the Biblical Faction — that weren't associated with Greek or Roman pantheons. All in all, Danhauser could start discarding the Realm of the Dead from his 'places where I'll spam True Form' list.

Besides, it's not like Danhauser would somehow end up in the territory of a God that belonged on the chart of the Top Ten Strongest Beings in the World and had a legion of Grim Reapers at his disposal.

Cleria could scarcely fathom the idea of Danhauser descending upon the Realm of the Dead with no logical explanation behind it whatsoever.

"I can use it as self-defense," Danhauser retorted, "If my life is at risk and I already used my whole arsenal, then the government won't raise any objections."

"But still…" Cleria trailed off, her throat tight and dry, "T-there has to be another way…"

"We can't refuse the orders of the Great King," Danhauser said with the gentle voice he could manage, "Belial is no longer ranked as King — but a _Lesser King._ We're one of the many lesser houses belonging on the poor aristocracy. Thus, our role involves either physical activities on the farm, military service, or a staggering amount of stress and hard work. Are you catching on now?"

Their house wasn't the only one ranked as a Lesser King, there were a few more Housecarls considered as such. Belial Clan, however, were more infamously known than the other bunch. All thanks to their overall strength, Diehauser's title as 'The Emperor' and the false accusations of the King Piece circling them.

"I will make this house great once more," the oath Danhauser had taken fresh in his mind — the oath of all _true_ heirs. He'd repeated it now without effort or remorse. "… To this house, I will be true and faithful. To this, I will commit mind, body, and heart. _I got this."_

"We know. We just wish you didn't have to risk your life," she said underneath her breath, as she looked away from his eyes to her food.

A chill entered in his spine as they continued eating in tense silence.

.

* * *

.

The airport resembled more of a shopping mall than anything Valerie had expected. The tiles under foot gleamed white and everywhere were people milling around — a sea of unfamiliar faces. There were two glass elevators leading to an upper floor which had the appearance of a food mall. And in the middle of several large open areas were red fabric covered seats.

The air was cool and only the faint aroma coming from the food area gave any scent. There was a sculpture of the Youkai Kappa with water cascading from the bowl atop its head and flowing all the way down.

The Dhampir just sat there with a bored expression, distracting herself by watching the noisy children throwing yen inside the fountain for a wish or humming in sync to the soft, classical music being played in the background. Whenever the doors of the airport opened, her eyes rapidly would shift over to the entrance — expecting a certain grey-haired Devil and a cross-dressing Dhampir to walk inside the building — only to be left disappointed by the results.

Her shoulders slumped, glaring at the clean floor reflecting her, "Where are they…?"

"Excuse me, pardonne-moi!" A familiar accent, French, "Best girl passing through~!"

Valerie's head snapped upwards. It came from behind, and it slowly approached in her direction.

The Dhampir left her seat to obtain a better view. From a short distance, she spotted a short girl carrying two suitcases full of nostalgia. She had the same dye of hair — only a little darker than hers.

Of course, she hadn't noticed Valerie yet.

"Jean—" Valerie quickly brought a hand into her mouth, noticing what's inside the former Saint.

Back then, she'd lacked control of her Longinus for various reasons, from her cowardice to ghosts and Marius who'd always occupied them for his mysterious research.

Thanks to the four-year training and the mass of tentacles and eyes that resided within the Holy Grail, she had a better understanding of her Sacred Gear and its abilities.

In the body of Jeanne, two souls resided. One was holier than the other and was locked — asleep.

"Valerie? Is that you…?"

That was a warning for her to run.

Valerie's red orbs darted everywhere in search of a clear escape, "W-Wait a minute!" She stammered, instinctively attempting to move out of the way, "T-There's no necessity to resorting—!"

The damage was already done. In the blink of an eye, Jeanne teleported and wrapped her arms around the taller, shrieking Dhampir, "It's good to see a familiar face….!" She started shaking about, bringing Valerie with her as she tried to hug her with all the cuddliness of a grizzly.

"S-stop it…!" Valerie wheezed out, flailing helplessly, "I-I can't breathe y-you imbecile...!"

A final squeeze and Jeanne put her down, ignoring the odd glances by the people who passed by.

"These four years treated you well, Valerie!" Jeanne praised the breathless Pawn, "You've changed in a good way!"

"H-have you lost your mind…?" Valerie's breath stuttered as she let it go, "You better have a good excuse for almost breaking my spine!"

"Tee-hee~!" Jeanne shaped a heart with her hands, "I. Missed. Ya'll~!"

Valerie huffed lightly, dusting off her dress, "We barely had the chance to know each other in the past and yet, you're acting as if we were childhood friends."

Jeanne's smile fell slightly, "Indeed. It saddened me that I didn't have the freedom to know each one of you properly, but after what happened four years back… I believe it's justified."

To Valerie's surprise, Jeanne's expression became brighter once more, "But unfortunately — I'm optimistic in life. These four years absent of all of you was spent wisely. I'd love to know each one of you and future teammates too. Let's become friends, okay?"

Valerie averted her gaze, "W-well… if that stops you from making embarrassing acts in public, I suppose…"

"Yes!" Jeanne fist-pumped the air, too loud for Valerie's dismay, "We will enjoy our time together and exchange stories of romance, paint our nails, and try on clothes and even get into gang fights!"

"Huh, you two are already here. I hope you two weren't waiting too long for us."

Their heads twisted after the familiar voice, catching insight a silver-haired young man whose clothing resembled a butler.

He was followed by a short young man with bartender clothes and a shorter brown-haired girl with emerald eyes.

The bartender — Tobio — smirked and shot them a two-finger salute, "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

Valerie failed to contain her sardonic smile, "Yes. It's impressive everyone made it out. I expected one or two of us to die."

"… I see your mind is still fucked up as ever. Not much has changed it seems."

"Ehehehe…" As Jeanne pulled Tobio and Sae into one of her back-breaking hugs, Valerie spoke, "Where's Danhauser and Bova?"

"B-Bova's at my bar getting cuddled by Lavinia…!" Tobio grunted as Jeanne almost split his ribs. "Jin too in case you wanted to know."

Sae smacked her lips, "As for boss… let's talk about that later."

Valerie scowled at the deficient answer but brought no arguments. As long as nothing happened to him, then everything was fine.

She turned to Siegfried — eyeing him, "Should I question the butler clothes?"

"What's wrong with it?" Siegfried asked whilst ruffling the former saint's head, "Does it look big on me?"

"I never expected you to wear those clothes."

"Gilles not only honed my swordsmanship," Siegfried stated, adjusting his white gloves, "But also guided me to my duty as a knight for master."

"Yeah," Jeanne's usually warm and welcoming smile now cold and forced, "I bet he did."

"Is something wrong?"

"Oh! Nothing~!"

"A bird told me you were pupil of Eminence Strada, Jeanne," Siegfried said after a pregnant silence, "the Violence of Heaven himself."

"Wait," Valerie's eyes went wide, "Your teacher was _Vasco Strada?_ The human who uses _buildings_ as _punching bags_ to train himself?"

She'd heard tales of that man from the corners of the Tepes Faction and prisoners of the Carmilla Faction. Most of the times, the parents always resorted to evoking that name whenever their children misbehaved to scare them off and fool them to go to bed once for all.

She refused to see him as a human, more of a monster. Or at least a descendant of a God. Even her father and Queen Carmilla feared the being who'd bear the title of Apex of Humanity proudly on his chest — like a medal.

"Yes!" Jeanne nodded enthusiastically, watching the fleeing planes with a nostalgic smile, "Ah… one day we ended up changing the landscape a bit because we went hard in our training. Sick times."

Sae stared, "… Okay."

"H-heard of him," Tobio was the first to pop from his shock, "Son of a bitch forced Kokabiel to hop to the top of a tree like a scared cat back in World War ll."

"A human defeated a Cadre with five pairs of wings who survived the Great War?" It was one thing to punch a hole in a building and maybe reshape the landscape through an intense fight, but defeat one of the leaders of Grigori with ease? That was absurd.

Tobio just laughed at Sae's perplexity, "Pretty much. What makes that man scarier is that he wasn't born with a Sacred Gear."

Sae's mouth was hanging open at this point.

Siegfried nodded at Jeanne, "That aside, I bet you learned quite a few things from Eminence Strada. After all, he's rumored to have surpassed the first user of Durandal."

Jeanne grinned, invaded Siegfried's personal space and began flexing those non-biceps, "Duh! His secret techniques have been passed down to me for four years! Would you doubt a woman with these sick lookin' muscles? _FEEL!"_

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Siegfried snapped, "No need to wiggle them in my face!"

"Oh, sorry, Sieg. I sorta lost my cool and kinda went with it. Sorry, tee hee~!" Jeanne took a step back, laughing awkwardly, "Where's Danhauser and Bova, by the way?"

"Bova is at the bar waiting for us," Tobio rubbed his neck, looking away from their curious stares, "Boss is… He's occupied."

 _"Really_ occupied," Sae remarked.

The two blondes shared looks and quickly turned back to them. Valerie voiced their thoughts, "What do you mean?"

"Not here," Siegfried told her as they neared the exit, "Way too many people. Let's get into the car for more privacy."

Valerie narrowed her eyes, "What happened?"

"N-nothing serious happened to him, right?" Jeanne asked, worried.

"He's still breathing," The brunet pocketed a hand as they stood outside the airport, eyes locked on the moon, "… Let's just say he's swimming in red waters."

.

* * *

.

"Bad news coming from the Underworld," Danhauser was startled when a newspaper from Ars Goetia fell onto his desk. He looked up to see the President of the Student Council and Occult Club towering over him.

"Hello to you too," Danhauser's gestured over to his seats and watched how both heiresses carefully took their seats and next thing—.

Whomp! — Rias' face planted right into Danhauser's desk with a quiet whine.

Danhauser stared for a long second and faced Sona, "What happened?"

The bespectacled woman, in return, sighed at her best friend's behavior, "The Strongest Heir showed up at her club."

Danhauser did a double take, "The Strongest Heir? Ruval _Phenex_ showed up in the ORC?"

"Yeah…" Rias said quietly, face flat on the table, "… Raiser, thankfully, didn't come."

"Why is that?" He felt their sudden stares as if they were expecting to know the reason behind Raiser's absence. He slowly raised his eyebrow, "… Really, what happened?"

"… Ruval told me Raiser fell into a slump," Rias' explanation made his eyes broaden in surprise, "It began when you defeated him four years ago. Now, he rarely leaves his house after that loss."

"Ruval and her sister tried to help him move on and even searched for professional help," Sona sighed, "… While their efforts showed minor improvements… it wasn't enough."

"… Holy shit," Danhauser wouldn't be surprised if his jaw was scratching the floor at this point, "It happened because of me…?"

There had been numerous cases where Sairaorg's opponents had completely lost their will to fight ever again. Finding their overpraised demonic powers useless against him — these proud Devils had taken a huge hit to their self-esteem when they were defeated by a bare physical body.

Upper-class Devils had a lot of arrogance — but find it difficult to recover when they're overwhelmed with defeat.

Danhauser and his peerage slaughtered Raiser's Peerage during their battle. In front of the Top Ten and the Underworld.

Though, calling it a battle would be a stretch.

 _"Great. I feel like an asshole now,"_ Danhauser massaged the bridge of his nose, _"Not only have I ruined, Roygun, Bedeze_ _, the Top Ten and my Clan — but Raiser as well. Good job me."_

"Despite Raiser losing his will, our parents are persisting on continuing the wedding!" Rias venting off snapped him back to reality, "How many times do I have to say it for them to understand…? It will be someone I choose!"

So, it had begun — he thought. The fight between Rias and Raiser was slowly drawing near. Cleria had told him about this. She had to reluctantly follow Grayfia after Rias tried to bed her cute pawn to escape from her engagement.

Cleria was, after all, the governor of Kuoh and as such, Lord Gremory and Phenex had to ask her permission for Ruval and Grayfia to make his debut in the Human World.

Time surely flies.

With a strained chuckle, Danhauser held the forgotten newspaper that Sona gave to him. Just by reading the luring title he knew where this was heading. He rubbed his eyes, "Another Clan has been downgraded. Yikes."

 _"I'm so sorry, Ajuka."_

"From Duke, they fell into a Lesser Duke," Sona narrowed her eyes eloquently, "Lord Bael must be the one who downgraded the Astaroth Household. As expected from the Clan who has power over Ars Goetia."

Rias pushed her face off the table, frowning, "I thought my big brother was in charge of Ars Goetia?"

"Satan Lucifer is just the head of the state," Danhauser pointed out, "He's the very first citizen — a chief public representative."

Sona pushed her glasses up, "Then that proves my statement."

"Not really," Danhauser remarked, suddenly earning Sona's attention, "… The Great King isn't allowed to demote a Duke in the hierarchy — not anymore. His title says it all — he's the King of Kings."

Sona wore a perplexed look, "But my sister told me years ago that the Great King…"

"Times change," Danhauser dismissed, "When the King piece came to light the Bael Household was also accused of corrupting the system. The citizens opened their eyes and wanted the House of Bael out of leadership and Elders to lose their high-rank. Some even opted to make the Four Great Satans as their leaders."

"What happened?"

"In a nutshell, there's a new council," It was in the same cabinet where his brother had worked as Head Senator before getting fired by Lord Bael. He wouldn't be surprised if they were Diehauser's replacement, "Led by new houses who're renowned as the Great Pillars, who are the Head Government of Ars Goetia itself."

Danhauser knew better. He could smell the sinister overtones coming within the Remaining Pillars. While the Six Great Pillars were exercising full authority and were referred to as powerful leaders in the judgmental stares of society, they were actually being controlled by a more powerful figure behind the throne — Zekram Bael.

The old fossil _adored_ being in charge.

"Then who demoted the House of Astaroth?"

"The one who stripped the Astaroth Clan was the house who has power over Dukes — Archduke of Agares."

Because Diodora was the former heir of Astaroth, his fate could only be weighted by the hands of Lord Agares. Not by Lord Bael. In fact, the latter had to ask permission to arrest Diodora once and for all. The Archduke allowed it. If he were to refuse, then Danhauser couldn't lay a single finger on him — unless he wished to put himself in more political trouble.

"Seekvaira's father," Sona brought a hand to her chin, "Makes me wonder who captured Diodora for his crimes?"

"Perhaps Seekvaira?" Rias added her two cents, "Or my cousin."

Sona then looked at him with a sharp gaze, "… Or maybe it was _you,_ Vice-Principal?"

"You're pointing at the wrong man," Danhauser shrugged his shoulders, "I was helping the Principal with her paperwork."

He couldn't share anything with anyone about this aside from his family and peerage members. The fewer, the better.

"Now, I don't think you two are here to play detective and keep me updated with the daily life of the Underworld. What's wrong?"

He had an idea what's coming next, but he'd preferred to keep a facade.

Sona nudged the redhead, "Go on. Tell him."

Rias closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again, "Yes. I… I wish to ask for a few days of vacations to train my peerage for our… _first_ Rating Game."

It took a great deal of effort on her part to finish her sentence. It came so cold. Obviously, she despised the idea of playing her first Rating Game like this. Her anger increased tenfold when her brother was behind this and the lack of servants on her side — making her match one-sided.

"… I see," Danhauser leaned on his seat, "How much are we talking about?"

"Ten days."

He hummed in return, drumming his fingers on the table, "Alright, I'll drop the message to the Principal. Meanwhile, start packing anything you need for your training."

Rias felt her body release half her tension as she smiled at him. No doubt, a man would kill to see that smile aimed at them, "Thank you so much, Danhauser."

"It's Vice-Principal," Danhauser wagged his finger playfully, "Best wishes."

"Once your Rating Game is done, you better not stay behind with homework and school," Sona adjusted her glasses, "Until then, concentrate on escaping from the arranged betrothal."

"What a cute way of saying 'good luck' and 'I'll miss you'."

The raven-haired devil shot a piercing gazeat him which he responded with a wink.

"O-one last thing …" Rias couldn't bring herself to look Danhauser in the eyes, "I… since you had a Rating Game against Raiser and won… can you perhaps...!"

Danhauser brought a hand up, "Stop right there. I know where you're heading," He said, "The answer is no."

Sticking his nose in affairs of households who weren't even a branch of the Great King Faction would be a tactless ploy — especially considering the constant errors he'd committed in the past.

A long second of silence and Rias sighed shakily, "Yes. Sairaorg told me you would likely refuse."

"Then why ask him in the first place?" Sona asked.

"I-it was worth a shot," Rias' hands almost reached out to yank her beautiful hair but held back, body shivering, "T-that's it then…? There's no way I could beat him the way I am… I-I don't even have a complete peerage! And I only got a new member! What were they thinking of catapulting someone inexperienced into a Rating Game against Raiser!"

It was silence afterward, they waited as Rias' chest heaved heavily.

…

"And… and…" Rias' gaze fell, shoulders slumped, "… Ise, who'd consumed eight pawn pieces, only has a Twice Critical…"

 _"Or so she thinks."_ Danhauser inwardly sighed, "You have Gasper. A shota trap capable of freezing the time of anything within his line of sight."

Bonus points if Rias had never shown Gasper to Ruval. The element of surprise sometimes could change the tides of war.

"… But would that be enough?"

"In my opinion yes," If Gasper took Asia's shoes in the Rating Game, the Dhampir could freeze Raiser's regeneration and game over. Heck, he'd even donated Gasper his blood from time to time so he could have a better control of his Pseudo-Longinus! Mostly because he'd promised it to his pawn rather than Rias' arranged marriage, "But if you're still insecure, you should give your best throughout your training."

"… I'll need someone with good combat skills to watch over my cute servants… and since the Vice-Principal refused… " Sona and Danhauser could only wait for the Gremory heiress to stop talking off top her head, "… Perhaps Sairaorg would help?"

Danhauser snorted lightly, "You want the heir of the Great King to train your servants?" He repeated, slowly, "… Maybe Sairaorg would accept. But you think his father will?"

The Bael Clan and Gremory Clan had a strained relationship. The Bael household was hostile towards the Gremory as their current generation had strongly inherited the Power of Destruction. Lord Bael wasn't an exception.

Of course, there were people such as Sairaorg, his mother, half-brother and even Zekram himself who didn't show a hint of any grudge.

"It doesn't hurt to try…"

"Do what you gotta do," Danhauser stood up, dusting his suit, "Let me ask you a final question. Was Ruval's younger sister in there?"

Rias frowned and dived into her memories, "… No, she wasn't present," she said, "The Strongest Heir was only with one of his servants — the Mad Dictator. Grayfia was there too. Why?"

"Nothing, nothing. Just curious," He waved them off, "Let's end this talk here, I have a school to watch and you girls have important matters to attend to. You may go."

[Thank you, Vice-Principal.]

.

* * *

.

Kuisha watched as his King knocked on the door and took a step back, waiting.

…

…

…

"Are you sure he lives here, master?" The Queen questioned, eyes wandering all over the entrance, "Perhaps you went in the wrong direction?"

Sairaorg shook his head, arms folded, "This is the route that Rias gave me. She's been in this town for years already. I trust her good sense of direction."

"How are you so sure?"

"Call it a gut instinct, Kuisha."

The blonde sighed, muttering, "Such a stubborn King I have…"

The Lion King chuckled before knocking once more.

Rias had to sacrifice a day of her training to wait for her older cousin to visit Kuoh Town, but it was all worthy for her. Kuisha wasn't certain nine days were enough to get them ready for their first Rating Game. Not even ten days. The Phenex Clan was widely known because of their powers resembling the Phoenix. The only unofficial Rating Game Raiser had lost so far was against the man his master spoke about — Danhauser Belial.

Since then, she'd never heard about Raiser.

Then again, power wasn't the secret ingredient to win a Rating Game. Some battles were won with magic and fists, others with experience and brain. The 7th ranked — Rudiger Rosenkreutz — was a nod to her statement. Always defeating the Dragon Meteor Tannin and his peerage full of dragons despite the great difference in power. Word on the street was that he almost defeated the Champion of the Rating Games.

"Coming!" A male voice said, familiar enough to brighten Sairaorg's mood, "Who is it?"

Shooting a thumbs-up at his Queen, the Strongest Youth quickly turned back to the door, "Seriously? Am I nothing but a blurry memory to you? I'm hurt."

It was silence afterward, but Kuisha swore to hear an _'oh shit'_ behind the locked door, "It's really you…?"

"Ah, so you do remember," Sairaorg flashed a genuine smile, "Are you going to greet me properly or will I speak with a door the whole day?"

Immediately, the door swung open, revealing a tall young man.

 _"So this is the younger brother of the Emperor?"_ Kuisha thought. Like every other pillar heir — he was handsome. If it wasn't by his hair slicked back, she would have thought this was Diehauser who'd drunk from the fountain of youth. Like her master, he exuded a strong, prideful aura befitting of a king.

The gray-haired man eyed them both from head to toes before saying, "So beautiful. What's your name?"

"Kuisha," Sairaorg replied for his dazzled Queen.

"Not her," Danhauser winked at him, "You, handsome."

Sairaorg stared, unimpressed, "I'm regretting coming here."

"Sorry, sorry. I wasn't expecting the next Great King to pay me a visit — I had to improvise," Danhauser extended a hand to the still befuddled Queen, "Danhauser, by the way."

Shaking her confusion away, she awkwardly returned the gesture, "A-a pleasure, Prince Danhauser."

"The pleasure is mine," stealing his hand back, Danhauser stepped to the side to let them in, "I can't believe your father permitted you to stay in the Human World to help Rias out. You know he hates the Gremory Clan's guts, right?"

"Don't remind me. He doesn't stop rambling about them on his throne," Sairaorg massaged his temple, "I'm afraid I'm not here to train them. As you said, he looks down on my red-haired relatives and I shouldn't meddle in affairs of other Housecarls that aren't under the Great King Faction. But since I'm here, I think it wouldn't hurt paying my cousin a visit. And who knows? Maybe drop one or two hints here and there."

"Damn, disobeying Papa Bael's orders?" Danhauser feigned shock, "That's evil coming from you."

It didn't surprise him that Lord Bael would prohibit his oldest son from assisting Rias. As Raiser had said in the Light Novels — Pure Devils were nearing extinction. Hence the arranged marriage between Gremory and Phenex.

Plus, he was the Great King. Politically speaking, he shouldn't stick his nose in business that revolved around houses whose rank were Duke and Marquis. Only the Archduke and Grand Marquis could intervene in the marriage.

Or like Sirzechs did in the Light Novels.

 _"It only shows how much jealousy he has in him,"_ Danhauser inwardly grunted, _"To see the Gremory Clan lose all the popularity and fame they'd garnered as they were widely known of their good mastery over the Bael's Clan trait."_

After all, whenever he'd thought of Power of Destruction, the first picture coming to his mind was Sirzechs — not Sairaorg's father or anyone from the house of Bael.

"I'm a Devil, what else did you expect?" Sairaorg smiled, "Wouldn't you do the same thing if your cousin was following the same steps?"

"Only if her fiancé was a bastard," Danhauser stated, walking over the hallway, footsteps followed, "… You've changed a lot, you know? Back when we were brats, you disliked Rias because she'd inherited the Bael trademark ability — unlike you."

Kuisha frowned at his words but chose to stay in silence.

"I was immature back then. Rather than rambling as my father does, I listened to my mother and trained to my utmost limits to reach another form of strength — my fist," Sairaorg said with pride in his voice, "We are diverging from the crucial point — I came to this town for various reasons. Kuisha?"

In response, his Queen summoned out a folded piece of paper and lent it to his King — who'd taken it graciously, "Father told me to make sure this ends safely in your hands."

Danhauser halted and took the scrap of paper he'd been offered. The note was in a perfect state, no signs of ragging nor charring were seen on the card. He noticed the wax seal carried the Bael sigil.

"You should hurry and read it. Something tells me you'll _love_ what's inside."

His curiosity grew as he unfolded the note. His eyes caressing the strokes of the pen made so professionally, seeing the personality behind the strong lines and heavy punctuation marks.

The more he read, the more his smile stretched out.

"I guess congratulations are in order," Sairaorg patted Danhauser's shoulder, "I knew you'd make it. How, though?"

"I-I don't know," he averted his gaze away from Sairaorg to the paper, "What matters is that I made it inside."

"Fair enough. Piece of advice — don't expect the Underworld to welcome you with arms wide open," Sairaorg folded his arms, "It's going to get tough from here on. Take a wild guess."

"They're still accusing me of using the King Piece, aren't they?"

Sairaorg nodded, "I'm also getting my share of hate, but from what I have seen — you're getting more rotten tomatoes than me. Remember when you challenged the Top Ten as well as the whole Underworld for the title as the next champion? Piece it together."

Sometimes, there were occasions where Danhauser wished he could travel back in time and punch his younger self in the face. _Hard._ Today wasn't an exception.

Danhauser stuck with a facepalm, "Better get used to my past being held against me by society then."

"You and me both."

"Hey, Danny, who are you speaking with…?"

The Kings and Queen quickly turned their gazes to the stairs just in time to see Cleria and Roygun freeze on a different step.

"Oh hey, Cleria, Roygun — come in," Danhauser gestured to join them, "This guy is called Sairaorg and is the heir of Bael and the Strongest Youth — don't know if you've heard of him."

"Was that sarcasm?" Sairaorg muttered.

"… And the young lady at his side is his Queen — Kuisha."

Sairaorg saw how they were about to kneel and quickly intervened, "We're not in the Underworld, don't sweat the formalities — it makes me uncomfortable. Thank you all," he said with a smile, "It's good to meet the cousin of Danhauser and you as well, Roygun Belphegor."

Kuisha glared daggers at the pink-haired woman, "… Indeed."

Roygun pursed her lips in return.

Thankfully, no one noticed their toxic interaction.

"No offense but…" Cleria drawled, "What are they doing here?"

Danhauser shook the folded paper, "To deliver an important letter. It's confirmed. I got invited to the Youth Gathering."

"Wait, for real?!" She queried and Danhauser nodded. Cleria started to clap excitedly with a squeal, "Yes! You did it! Now we need to get you some fancy clothes to woo all the girls at the party~!"

"Geez, Cleria. Keep it down, we got company."

"Oh, come oooon! How dare you to tell me to 'hurr durr keep it down' when something amazing happened!" she dramatically placed the back of her hand on her temple, "Ah… I missed the golden days when you used to run into my embrace just to get spoiled. What happened to my cute Danny…?"

"What? I never did that!"

"Hn. Lying won't help you in any way, Danny."

Roygun brought a hand to her chin, ignoring the Belial family, "Hah... A lot of Pure Devils are stopping in Kuoh now and then…"

Sairaorg blinked, "Who else came here?"

"The Strongest Heir and Strongest Queen — Ruval and Grayfia respectively," Danhauser replied after glaring at his pouty cousin, "They were here yesterday in the ORC. Rias never told you about them?"

"Maybe she had mentioned them, but I barely remember half of our conversation," Sairaorg shrugged. "I'll be straying from the subject from here. Since your brother is the president of the Rating Game Executive Committee — I'd love to have a word with him. For our future match, I'll have no special requests about the rules — except that all complicated restrictions be dismantled from the rules of combat. I want to take you head on in your full strength."

Danhauser regarded Kuisha — who'd stood loyally beside her King in silence — with a cocked eyebrow. As expected from a Queen, she brought no objections. In fact, her gaze cried out 'bring it on'.

"Even when you barely know my peerage members, you still want to go all out?"

"Of course. This body is something I trained in order to surpass common sense and obstacles. How can I call myself the next head of the Bael family if I were to cower out?"

"As expected of the Strongest Youth," Danhauser laughed briefly, "There's a slight chance that we may not fight, you know?"

"Let's get our fingers crossed, then!" Sairaorg rose a clenched fist, "Now, how about we celebrate your entry to the Youth Gathering? It's been a long time since we'd sparred."

…

"… That's why you're here," Danhauser realized, "Just to blow some steam."

Kuisha giggled, "He caught you red-handed, master."

The Lion King just chucked in agreement, "Father had in mind to send a vassal to deliver the message rather than myself. He didn't want the future head of Bael to step on the soil of 'peasant' humans, but after Elder Bael listened to my purpose — he laughed and accepted."

"… Didn't you want to meet up with Rias? You're going to be late, you know?"

"I came earlier for that reason," Sairaorg remarked, "To have enough time to stretch out a bit."

"Uh… and where are we going to fight?" Danhauser hurriedly added, "We need a big arena if we're going to trade blows. I'd rather not ruin the house in the aftermath."

"Your backyard is vast enough to hold the five of us with space to spare. If anything bad happens to your house then I'm willing to pay all the maintenance from the damage we may incur."

"How are we going to spar without someone healing us afterward?" Danhauser kept throwing excuses, anything to not have a taste of the Strongest Youth greatest weapon — his iron fist.

Yet — at the same time — he wanted to test how durable he was against someone who only relied on the prowess of his body.

Expecting that question to arise, Sairaorg fished out two Phoenix Tears out of his breast pocket and shook them, "I brought these two from the Underworld — that should patch us up nicely. You should stop stressing over trivial things, Danhauser. Your hair will turn grey because of it."

The grey-haired devil wore a flat look, "Ha-ha. Very funny."

"Do you accept my selfish challenge?" Sairaorg slowly grinned, "Or do you _chicken_ out?"

 _"Chicken out?"_ Danhauser huffed indignantly, "Alright. I didn't want to humiliate you in front of the girls, but if you're so damn persistent then who am I to refuse?"

Sairaorg smacked his back with a booming laugh, "Oh ho… a cocky Danhauser is a good Danhauser! Lead the way!"

"I got a bad feeling about this," Cleria muttered, following her reluctant cousin.

Roygun smiled down at her, "Look on the bright side," she said, "if the house somehow gets demolished — we could renovate it with new stuff for free. We could install a jacuzzi."

"But I don't want the house to get destroyed!" Cleria whined, "Where am I going to sleep?"

Roygun locked her arm around Danhauser's arm, "Lucky us, we got our personal _Dakimakura_ to keep us warm and cozy during the cold and saddening nights."

"Danimakura," Cleria quipped with a giggle, "Geddit?"

Sairaorg raised an amused eyebrow to Danhauser, "What did I miss?"

The gray-haired just released a faint groan, "Trust me — it's better if you don't know."

.

* * *

.

Right then — settled down in the backyard of the house — a duel was about to begin.

The three women sat in the sidelines and far away from the forthcoming brawl in case the bout slowly turned ugly. Lucky for them, Roygun covered the whole house in a dome of magic to make sure no human heard nor witnessed the chaos that was about to emerge.

Cleria hoped they didn't leap on that stage.

Danhauser and Sairaorg were in the middle of the backyard. It didn't take long for them to wear off their fancy noble attire to one befitting for combat. For Sairaorg it was a mere black shirt that failed to hide his perfect body and Danhauser a sleeveless vest that revealed his well-toned arms and shoulders.

She watched as Roygun put her fingers into her mouth and letting out few sharp whistles for emphasis, "Do your best boys! Don't forget to get sweaty and shirtless~!"

Cleria pulled a flat expression, "That's why Uncle Coda calls you Pedogun."

Roygun puffed her cheeks, "Hush you! They're no longer children but handsome young men in their twenties!"

"Don't lewd my cousin."

"Hypocrite," Roygun playfully stuck her tongue before nudging the silent blonde, "As a fellow Devil of the Extra Demon Faction, I bet you enjoy seeing two young men with their trained biceps pushed to their limits! Such a wonderful sight, don't you think?"

"…"

"Kuis—!"

"I'll be blunt to you — former 2nd ranker of the Top Ten. I don't like you," Kuisha said firmly, eyes locked on the two Kings, "Neither do I like my uncle — Bedeze. It's because of you cheaters that Sairaorg is shunned and scorned even more by the Remaining Pillars. Even the talented Top Ten are not spared by their harsh words."

Cleria was ready to snap at her, but a hand on her shoulder made her wheel around. "Roy?"

The pink-haired woman flashed her a smile, but Cleria was pretty sure it was forced.

"For someone like him who didn't inherit the power of destruction, he was a step away for the Pure Devils to applaud at his abnormal strength — but the King Piece happened and everything he'd built had crumbled to dust. You know where I'm heading, don't you?"

"I'm so sorry…"

"Save it — an apology won't cut it," Kuisha spat out, "I'm surprised Danhauser doesn't hold any grudge for what you've done."

Cleria bit her tongue, almost exploding into a fit of a tantrum, but held back.

Roygun — on the other hand — forced a half-hearted chuckle and turned over the gray-haired Devil, "You and me both… you and me both."

A heavy atmosphere fell upon them — so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Of course, it went unnoticed by the two kings in the middle of the backyard.

"Any rules, Sairaorg?" Danhauser asked, stretching up to a little.

"As much as it pains me, let's not make it an all-out brawl," the Strongest Youth replied, "If our spar were to get exciting — I would fight to the very last blow. I still need to forgather with Rias, after all."

"Just a few minutes then?" Danhauser shrugged, "Fine by me."

At cue, Sairaorg — who was standing tall with his threatening stature — just vanished! Cleria had to rub her eyes to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. At must, all she could see was a blurry figure trying to confuse his gray-haired opponent.

Cleria looked at the fellow spectators, Kuisha also had trouble to keep up with them — almost getting dizzy. Roygun — on the other hand — had no trouble.

Danhauser was... It looked like he was able to chase after Sairaorg with his eyes as he'd manage to dodge his attacks every time the Strongest Youth swung his ugly fists. To her surprise and confusion, Danhauser's clothes became tattered whenever he avoided or blocked Sairaorg's direct punches and kicks.

Sairaorg cocked his fist back and punched at his foe who'd blocked it, keeping his ground. Another kick and Danhauser had to quickly move out of the way, grass and dirt sprouted in the air by the weak shockwave.

Despite of dodging, Danhauser nearly tripped over and almost got kicked by Sairaorg-san's well-timed kick. Danhauser somehow blocked that attack but still stumbled backward from the impact.

He regained his composure again soon, but Sairaorg didn't let go of this chance. He sent a reverse knuckle punch towards Danhauser's face.

When Cleria saw that attack, she couldn't stop her gasp. Just like that, Danhauser was sent flying across the field. He tumbled along the ground several times and then...he just stopped moving. A silence fell across the backyard. Everyone watched silently. And then...

"Those were a bunch of dull attacks," the gray-haired taunted after pulling himself off the ground, "What happened, Sairaorg? I thought you train intensively."

"Those were just hello punches!" Sairaorg snickered and brought his hands upwards, revealing the magic seals glowing on his elbows, "Be prepared, Danhauser. Here I come!"

"Wait," Danhauser's mouth hung slightly open when the tattoos on his elbows vanished, releasing his power, "I thought you said not going all in!"

To his surprise, Sairaorg vanished before his eyes and —!

"Maybe just a little!"

"Shit!" Danhauser quickly turned around and rose his arms for protection. Though he'd successfully caught Sairaorg's attack, the heavy force of the punch was devastating that even the wind howled by the impact.

 _"So heavy…!"_ Danhauser neither stumbled nor backed off. Using his position to catch a shaky breath, he sent his body backward and quickly distanced himself. He tasted the small amount of crimson liquid falling on his lips.

Sairaorg watched Danhauser wiped off the blood next to his mouth, "I suppose I got the first blood, eh?"

Cleria gasped from her spot, "How can this be…? Danny blocked that blow right in time!"

"Master is no ordinary Devil," Kuisha said, "Dodge it, block it, or take the strike head-on. He would leave a critical wound on you no matter what."

"Using Rating Game archetypes, this is a power-type fighter," Roygun observed, "this is a power type who has kept increasing offensive power again and again by improving only his body. How interesting. A man who pursues pure destructive power."

Danhauser knew that very well. After training occasionally with Sairaorg he'd learned the immense power of his punches, the shockwaves left bruises over his opponent's bodies. Even if you weren't hit by the punch, the pressure waves from them alone would eat away your stamina and leave bruises and — depending on your condition — knock you out.

 _"Hence my nosebleed,"_ Danhauser clicked his tongue and rose his guard, _"But that won't knock me out. Diehauser is way worse. A shame I can't use my demonic powers..."_

Sure, the shockwaves caused by his punches weren't comparable to a direct hit — it was softer. The damage was halved.

But still, it was preferable to avoid them at all cost — especially when he's wearing Touki and his lion armor.

Ending his train of thoughts, he shortened the distance in an instant and quickly sent several jabs towards Sairaorg. His barrage crashed straight into his crossed forearms, a moment later he aimed one on his shoulder, breaking Sairaorg's posture slightly for a clean attack.

Danhauser dropped his stance to punch Sairaorg's abdomen, his body hunched a little. Danhauser then followed by kneeing Sairaorg's face without any mercy.

Sairaorg, who got kicked on the chin, recoiled by the sheer force with fresh blood threatening to spill out.

Quickly regaining his balance, the Strongest Youth pointed at his injury with a fearless smile, "Not bad. It's been a long time since I've been punched to a nosebleed. Your attacks, defense, and speed are top-notch. As expected from a training maniac."

"Flattery won't get you anywhere, _battle maniac,"_ Danhauser still couldn't stop the joyful expression on his face, "Enough chatting — let's leave our fists to do the talking instead!"

"My fists do the talking, eh? I can get behind that!"

Cleria had a difficult time to follow the fight afterward, literally they were vanishing from her sight and quickly reappeared in a different place and in distinct combat positions — only to disappear once again. Danhauser would sometimes go on the offensive and aim at the tiniest flaw in his opponents' defense. Sairaorg also would retaliate with his own tremendous physical prowess. Danhauser would block it, but the shockwaves behind the attack painted a pained expression on him.

Cleria was amazed — most likely Roygun and Kuisha shared her sentiments too. They were extremely strong. Unimaginable. Off the charts! How could these Devils be from the same generation as Rias, Sona, and Diodora?! They were far stronger than them!

And this was just a spar — a warm up to promote blood flow in their muscles.

"The Great King of Bael vs the Lesser King of Belial," Kuisha laughed a little, "It's amazing how Prince Danhauser is one of the few who can fight against my master without losing his will to fight. Maybe my master was right — Prince Danhauser isn't an ordinary High-Class Devil either."

 _"… The Strongest Youth who lacked Bael's trademark Power of Destruction,"_ Cleria watched as her cousin tanked a left hook of Sairaorg with his cheek, _"That means... Worthlessness … could it be... that his greatest flaw became his greatest strength?"_

Danhauser's feet skidded to the ground, provoking a cloud of dust to blend on the air. His clouded gaze went up when a silhouette appeared above him.

It was Sairaorg falling from the sky and blocking the sun, his body enveloped in a purple aura.

 _"Touki?! Holding back my ass!"_ snapping out of his shock, Danhauser elected the smart choice and moved out of the landing spot — barely dodging the impact.

Abusing the cloud of dust created from his fall, Sairaorg ran through the cloud, Touki still acting like his second skin.

In kind, Danhauser surrounded himself in grey aura and sped back toward him.

Each cocked their fists back, threw a Touki enhanced punch simultaneously and struck one another squarely on each other's fists.

The girls had to bring their arms up when a gust of wind flew past them — ruffling their hair and the grass at their feet.

It took several seconds for the dust of their quarrel to settle down, but when it did — it revealed the two fighters and the field in a bad condition.

"M-my backyard…" Cleria sniffed a little.

Danhauser's brow caught streams of sweat and blood while he panted harshly. Now that the adrenaline had worn off his system, his muscles felt as though they had been flash-burned with acid.

There was no change in Sairaorg's expression, but given how his body was covered in bruises and blood, he must also be in pain as well.

But the glint in his eyes screamed mirth.

"Master," thankfully, his Queen acted as the voice of reason, "Your appointment with your cousin, remember?"

Sairaorg felt his bruised muscles stiffening, "Oh, right. I almost forgot," he caught the two Phoenix Tears thrown by his Queen and tossed one to Danhauser, "It was a good duel, Danhauser. Let's continue at another time."

"Not like I have a choice…" Danhauser drank all the potion in one go.

Sairaorg slapped Danhauser's back with a laugh, "Admit it. You had a good time."

"I never insinuated otherwise," Danhauser winked after the Phoenix Tear began doing its duty, "Say, do you have any idea where Kuoh is? I could take you there if you want." Maybe this time he could finally meet up with Gasper.

"We wouldn't mind the extra company," Sairaorg nodded, "We accept. Be our guide, Danhauser."

"This is where we part ways then," Roygun suddenly said, thumbing at the house, "I'll go watch the TV or take a nap. Mostly the latter."

Danhauser frowned in concern, "… You shouldn't sleep excessively, you know?" he chided her gently, "Come with us. I'll take you somewhere else afterward."

Roygun fanned herself, smirking mischievously, "Oh my. Could it be that Danhauser wants to date me? Someone pinch me — this must be a dream come true ~!"

Danhauser couldn't decide whether or not she was forcing herself to be cheerful, "If I say yes would you join us?"

"Nope. I already made my mind," Roygun shrugged, "Besides… I don't want to become a burden."

"You won't and you never will."

Roygun smiled faintly, "See you later."

As the pink-haired woman retreated to the house, Danhauser quickly shot Cleria a look, "What happened?"

Cleria bit her lip, "… When you have time, we should talk. Privately."

"… Alright," Danhauser said, dissatisfied. He snapped his fingers as his combat clothes were swapped by a formal suit, "Then let's get rolling."

Sairaorg nodded at his Queen, "Kuisha, let's not lag behind."

The blonde-haired kept her sight locked over the house for a long second, "… As you command, my master."

The walk to the academy wasn't uncomfortable at all, confounding both Cleria and Danhauser. The latter believed so because Sairaorg was doing most of the kind-hearted conversation.

On weekends only a few students went to Kuoh Academy to seek regular classes on the weekend. The majority went to school to study and to participate in their sport or club activities — fewer distractions. This Saturday and Sunday studying was common for third-year students who were looking to go to college and pass their entry exams with flying colors.

So, it wasn't a surprise to see some students making their way to the gates of Kuoh Academy.

What surprised them was the _nun_ that was outside the front entrance, trying to have a peek without getting inside.

The girl obviously failed to notice the four Devils distanced behind her.

"What do we got here?" Sairaorg broke the silence with his masculine voice.

"A spy of the Vatican?" Kuisha pressed with a scowl.

"Not at all," Danhauser felt a hand squishing his shoulder, looking behind he saw the bitter smile of his cousin, "Don't worry, Danhauser here will solve it. Right?"

He pursed his lips, but nodded, "I got it. You… you escort Sairaorg and his Queen to the old school building of Kuoh Academy. I'll handle it."

"You better," casting an unhappy look at him, she left with a puzzled Sairaorg and Kuisha, who'd bid Danhauser a farewell.

He stood alone and the footsteps became harder to hear. Meters away from the blonde girl — Asia Argento.

…

So, he used her – used her as bait. Even invading her private thoughts to erase any evidence by altering her memories.

Not because he liked it.

Not because he enjoyed it.

Not because he felt like it.

But because he _had_ to.

It would haunt him — and he would remember it forever.

But because of him — because of his actions — he guaranteed a spot in the Youth Gathering and perhaps restored a tiny bit of his family honor. And that was all that mattered.

Danhauser cleared his throat, loud enough to startle the young girl.

It worked as she rapidly spun around to meet his intense gaze and quickly look past him with a blush — bashful after being caught in the crime.

…

…

…

"U-umm," the blonde toyed with her dress before waving at him shyly, "H-hello, do you… d-do you speak my language…?"

Balanced as he was, he towered over her. He knelt down, bringing his face to her level, and gently smiled, "Buongiorno. You must be the nun that I keep hearing about."

The look of joy in Asia's face was worthy of a thousand pictures, "I-I never expected to meet someone else who could speak my tongue in a town of Japan! This must be a miracle from the Lord himself!"

Danhauser ignored the brief headache, "You seem to be lost. Is there anything I could help you with?"

"Are you… are you the headmaster of this school?"

"Nope," Danhauser shook his head, "I'm the right hand of the Principal. Are you looking for someone or interested in studying this school? I could give you a tour around the installations if you want."

"T-thank you, but I'm just looking for someone," Asia said, Danhauser did notice a glint of longing after offering her a place in the academy, "H-he told me he studies in this school. His name is Issei."

"Hyoudou Issei?"

"Yes, him!" she bobbed her head, "If it's not much trouble… could I speak with him, please?"

That's when he recalled the Rating Game between Raiser and Rias. He pushed those thoughts away and answered, "I'm sorry, but he's leaving today for a trip with his club. He won't return until nine days have passed."

Plus must likely Rias had warned him to stay away from the abandoned church like it was written in the Light Novels.

"… Oh," the girl's hopeful face wavered like the row of spark lights on an altar, "I-I see."

…

"Forgive me for sticking my nose in your personal concerns but… what's your business with him?"

"C-clean the church that I was left to take care of," Asia's gaze fell to the floor, "I-Issei offered to help me out, but if he can't it's okay… I can do it alone."

…

"… I could help."

She perked up at that, "E-excuse me?"

"I could help you," Danhauser repeated, confidently this time, "I may not look like it, but I know a thing or two about cleaning."

Asia wore a troubled look, "Y-you don't have to! You must have important things to do!"

"Don't worry about that, I got it handled."

"… a-are you sure you want to help me?"

"Are you sure you want to do it all by yourself?"

After a long second, Asia softly shook her head.

Danhauser stood up, gesturing at the road, "Then it's decided, let's make the abandoned church beautiful. Together."

"Y-yes! Thank you so much!" Asia beamed and quickly began her walk, "M-my name is Asia Argento, by the way!"

"Call me Vice-Principal."

A shame he couldn't visit Gasper — he thought. He'll make it up to him the next time they met.

.

* * *

.

"There?"

"Um… more to the right."

"Here?"

"A-a little to the left, please!"

"… Okay."

"There!" Asia exclaimed, freezing Danhauser, "It's perfect right there. You can stop now."

Carefully, Danhauser's hands left the framework and joined Asia to admire their teamwork.

It was the painting of his favorite historical figure clad in her armor, holding her famous flag and with a halo behind her head — Joan of Arc. The heroine of France. The scene was marked by ambient light, sumptuous objects, and rich colors.

The masterpiece served two purposes.

One was to make the church feel alive with beautiful drawings.

The other to cover the hole that the wall was scarred with. Funnily, it was the same spot where Danhauser smashed Diodora against.

It was a pain being here in the Church now that they were adding holy materials around the chapel. But a punch of his brother or Sairaorg was way worse than this.

"So beautiful," Danhauser heard Asia gush out, hands clasped, "She is easily and by far the most extraordinary person this world has ever produced."

He wondered where the nun got all this furniture to decorate the church. He theorized it was Raynare or Azazel.

There was a single problem, which, unfortunately, involved that painting, "Didn't the Vatican connect Joan of Arc with the Devil Belial?"

Those words alone were enough to make her heartbroken, "T-they did… but I still can't hate her. Kindness, humility, honesty, purity and faith — her heart carried only these things and nothing else!"

"You still admire her despite her losing her position?"

"I-I do," Asia admitted, "… Years ago, Saint Jeanne would always visit the orphan children in the churches and guide them to the good path. I always dreamed to meet her in person and drink some tea with her… but we both got banished from the Vatican."

Danhauser's mouth opened, but words failed to leave his mouth. He looked behind his shoulders — to the huge, closed doors. He closed his eyes and triggered his Sage Arts.

…

"Mr. Vice-Principal? I-is something wrong?" Asia asked worriedly, "You became quiet all of the sudden."

"Nothing… wrong," Danhauser said whilst canceling his Senjutsu, "Say, why don't you take care of the room where you sleep while I handle the cleaning from here?"

"O-okay! Please, don't hesitate to call for help!"

"I won't," Asia hopped from one foot to the other like a little girl, disappearing from the chapel. Danhauser shifted closer to the huge doors. When the opportunity presented itself, he fired a string of Pitch Resin into a high wooden cross brace above the corridor. He drew himself up into the darkness above and waited.

A moment later, the doors opened and a figure entered the Church. He let them walk a pace forward into his own trap. Once they were in position, Danhauser dropped in behind and summoned his spear, the tips of his weapon slipping neatly into the cobblestone gristle.

"Did you lose something?" Danhauser sneered.

Their fingers moved swiftly to conjure a spell — but halted midway. They were tempted, but good sense seemed to win out.

"I-It seems I've found you — Lord Mastema," a female voice, raised her open hands to her shoulders. "I bring a letter and something else."

Danhauser curved an eyebrow at the trespasser. No one knew of the pseudonym he used only when it was matters of Khaos Brigade — Old Satan Faction. Only the descendants of the Maou knew about it.

"From Lord Shalba Beelzebub, Lord Mastema," she said.

Ah, that summed it up.

Shalba's drama was going to be the death of someone if he didn't tread lightly. Not like Shalba cared, anyway.

"Where is it?"

The terrorist kept one hand up and used the other to pull a small note and a container from her tightly cuffed sleeve. The wax seal carried the Beelzebub sigil and Shalba's personal mark.

"Move more than an eyelash, and you'll be in trouble," Danhauser threatened.

He opened the note afterward. He could feel his frustration rising like a fever. It was the exact same mission that Diodora was obligated to complete — recover the Maou hybrid.

He kept reading until he reached the end, which contained another task — recruit Devils for the Old Maou's cause. Even a blind man could see that this assignment was aimed specifically to him who had powerful connections.

His housecarl, the Malebranche Clan and Roygun flashed before his mind.

 _"Fuck off, Shalba,"_ he then glanced at the vial and spotted a black snake locked into it — trying to break free.

 _"… Ouroboros,"_ Danhauser stored the letter and snake with a basic spell, " I should kill you for delivering the insult. Anything else?"

"N-no, milord," She kept her hands and voice even. She was young.

"You're dismissed, then," he turned his back to her and began walking away in search of Asia. Danhauser could hear her exhaled breath and a raspy jangle as she conjured the Old Satan magic circle under her feet. Her presence disappeared soon after.

Danhauser closed his eyes and activated his Sage Arts, waiting.

…

…

…

"Coast clear," satisfied, he left in search of Asia.

.

* * *

.

He stood and looked out over the opened window of his office in Kuoh Academy. A chilled breeze ruffled the pennants that hung from the eaves of the building. The entire campus expanded out before him.

Weeks passed like seconds. He'd spent his days walking around the academy to make sure everything was in order, train his body and help Asia on remodeling the Church. His daily routine.

While he was doing his duty in Kuoh Town, the Rating Game between Raiser and Rias had reached its climax. The fact he could see Rias with her Queen walking inside the school ground with a bright smile and an elegant wave directed at him answered most of his questions.

Was Rias now dating Issei? After all, the Sekiryuutei won her heart in his second round against Raiser and — to an extent — Ravel.

But this time — there wasn't a second round.

Even if Rias had won her first Rating Game and was discharged from getting wedded, Danhauser felt kind of bad for Raiser. Maybe when opportunity knocks on his door, he would pay Ravel's older brother a visit.

He returned the wave at the redhead. He pondered why Rias didn't hold any ill thoughts of him. Maybe she did and was hiding them very well. After all, in the Light Novels, she wanted to become the next Gremory head and win all of her Rating Games.

He expected for Rias to have any disdain at him if she was fed half-truths of the King Piece Scandal.

Putting trivial things aside, he focused on the document in his grasp.

…

…

… He failed to recognize her name, not even had he remembered any foreshadow of her identity or powers meshed somewhere in the Light Novels. Maybe because of her lineage, she was a member of the Old Satan Faction, but somehow got lost or captured by the Anti-Satan Faction? Perhaps Katerea and this girl had a family bond? Maybe she also wanted to dominate the world? He didn't know — this was all speculation! None of these things were real — or were confirmed to happen at any moment! It was just his daily dose of paranoia messing him up.

A sudden green light illuminated the dark room to signal the arrival of someone —Ajuka Beelzebub.

 **[Dan? You wanted to talk to me?]**

Danhauser said nothing, unable to tear his eyes from the fragile view and his even more fragile thoughts of the forthcoming future. Instead, he rolled up the document in his hand.

 **[You did it,]** Ajuka never ceased the conversation, **[You've successfully captured Diodora and he was brought to justice, nice work. Do you have the files?]**

Danhauser tossed the documents on the wooden desk where Ajuka's hologram stood, sheets of papers accidentally sliding free.

It was cold silence as Ajuka's eyes ended over the blurred picture of a young woman with purple hair.

The Satan heaved a knowing sigh, **[I see.]**

"Ingvild Leviathan," Danhauser said after taking a seat, "Descendant of the Original Leviathan. Older than she looks from what I've read."

 **[… I'm not impressed they knew of her whereabouts,]** Ajuka rubbed his chin with a frown, **[… But to think they knew she's secured in Ars Goetia? We had the enemy under our noses for so long?]**

"I doubt it; Shalba is just desperate," Danhauser said, "He's looking everywhere for the girl and the only place he hasn't searched yet is Ars Goetia. What I want to know is what's Ingvild's role in Shalba's plot?"

As Ajuka opened his mouth to answer, another magic circle appeared beside him. The blue light died, revealing a beautiful woman dressed in clothes that only a biker would be proud of showing off. Danhauser noticed the woman was hiding one of her hands inside her jacket's pocket.

Was she hiding something?

 **[The girl has an ability that could make The Old Satan Faction score the upper hand if a war broke out against the Anti-Maou. Shalba would most likely extract her power and toss her body to a pack of** **Cerberuses.]**

Danhauser rose an eyebrow at Ajuka — who shrugged. He focused back on the new, beautiful face, "Uh, hello?"

 **[Tiamat,]** The Strongest Dragon King gave a brief introduction, and continued, **[Ingvild Leviathan has a unique power that captivates dragons. Something that the descendant of Beelzebub wishes to exploit once it ends up in his hands.]**

Danhauser was still somewhat baffled by her unexpected debut. It took a long second to snap back to reality, "Y-yeah, I read that in the files," He muttered, eyebrows furrowed, "Where was she?"

 **[She was somewhere on the coast of Europe — in a beach house,]** Tiamat placed her free hand over her hip, **[I was the one who brought her to Maou Beelzebub's laboratory to check on her.]**

 **[She's in a comatose state,]** Ajuka continued, **[Unfortunately, this is a normal symptom between Pure Devils. Methods to cure this sickness were not found.]**

 _"Just like Sairaorg's mother,"_ Danhauser looked down briefly, before nodding at the Chaos Karma Dragon, "How did you even know of her existence and location? Spying on the Old Satan Faction?"

 **[Not at all. It was a fluke. I was just in the right place at the right time,]** Tiamat recalled, staring into the past, **[It all happened when I was flying above the clouds, casually rampaging around the world. When I felt… someone calling me out. A… song that charmed me and I had to locate it. I found her in a bed — in a deep slumber. Surrounded by corpses. You know what else I sensed, Danhauser Belial?]**

"… What?"

Tiamat held his gray eyes for the longest time, **[A Sacred Gear. The girl is the wielder of one of God's many artifacts.]**

…

Danhauser leaned further back on his seat, drumming his fingers while clicking his tongue, "… You sure about that?" He said slowly, skeptical of her assumption, "What if it's her Leviathan powers?"

Because the Light Novels didn't feel like explaining the Clan Traits of the Original Satans, Danhauser didn't have a single clue of their unique powers. Shalba had demonstrated power over bees during his second clash with Issei. Obviously a nod to the demon Beelzebub's epithet as "Lord of the Flies" and while it wasn't proven by the author of the Light Novels, it was obvious that was the Clan Trait of the Beelzebub lineage.

Granted, because of being a half-human, Ingvild had the opportunity of being born with a Sacred Gear of her own — similar to Vali. Thus proving Tiamat's supposition accurate.

But the chances of obtaining a common Sacred Gear was minuscule. A Longinus was a whole new level of impossibility. Plus, from what he'd remembered of the Light Novels, there wasn't a mention of a Sacred Gear that had authority over dragons — let alone a Longinus. He'd known of weapons that were powerful against them — such as Gram and Ascalon. Or even Samael who was the nightmare of all dragons.

Shalba was too cryptic in his note — only justifying that she has a unique power.

Aside from that, he was pretty much lost in the conversation.

 _"Fuck me,"_ Danhauser kneaded his aching eyes, _"Since when did this Ingvild appear in the Light Novels? What the hell is happening, seriously?"_

 **[You're confusing the Leviathan Clan Trait with the Buné Clan Trait,]** Ajuka observed, **[While in a way they're somewhat similar the Clan Buné has power over dragons and capable of shapeshifting into one as well. The House of Leviathan is a mix of the Clan Buné and Sitri, they're able to summon floods and transform into a snake-like dragon.]**

 **[Have faith in the Maou's explanation,]** Tiamat chuckled after drinking Danhauser's bewildered expression, **[He, after all, overwhelmed the daughter of the Original Leviathan during the Civil War in her full prime. Alone.]**

Danhauser's mouth fell open. He knew him and Sirzechs were the aces when the civil war broke out between the Devils. But he never imagined he was the man behind the slaughter of the children of a Satan, "How was it?"

 **[It was meh,]** Ajuka shrugged nonchalantly, **[I just drew the shortest straw and got stuck with her in a fight. I got bored and decided to one-shot her. A waste of time that could've been invested wisely in my lab.]**

Danhauser wouldn't be impressed if Ajuka's reasons for joining the Civil War — which concerned the future of the Underworld and its people — was because he had nothing else to do and was bored.

Or getting persuaded by his fellow Satans to leave his man cave.

Tiamat laughed lightly at his apathetic words, **[She was powerful enough to shrug off attacks from an Ultimate-Class and capable of drowning armies and submerging cities with her Clan Trait alone. Yet, you're treating her like a mere mosquito buzzing around your ear. Are you truly a Devil?]**

 **[Yes I am,]** Ajuka replied dryly, **[Let's end this conversation here. This isn't something I wish to discuss via magic circles. Once you come back to the Underworld, and when the Young Devil Gathering is done, let's meet up and continue where we left it.]**

Danhauser gave him a two-finger salute, "Hey, no worries."

 **[Then my role here is done,]** Tiamat nodded at Danhauser's direction, **[Farewell, Danhauser Belial.]**

The hologram disappeared in the snap of a finger.

 **[I'll take my leave too. Unless there's something else you wish to report…?]** Ajuka trailed off with a hint of hope in his voice. Most likely to crawl back into his cave and entertain himself with his hobbies.

Danhauser twirled his pen in deep thought, eyes widening out in realization, "Actually, yes. One last thing."

 **[Damn it…]** Ajuka quietly cursed, **[Well? What is it?]**

With a finger's snap, he invoked the container that held the animal, "Look what I found."

Ajuka blinked a few times before chuckling weakly, **[I'm fond of snakes,]** He admitted with a faint smile, **[I really am. And while the Astaroth Clan treasures snakes, I'm not interested at the moment keeping one as a pet. Thank you for the gesture, though. Is that it?]**

Danhauser fought the urge to roll his eyes, and shifted the small bottle closer to the hologram, "Take a better look and tell me what do you see?"

Grunting, Ajuka reluctantly did as he was told. He squinted his eyes and studied from head to its tail as the snake fought to break free. Scales black as the abyss and eyes casting a purple glow. Surprisingly, it was releasing a faint aura that Ajuka would've missed out if it wasn't from Danhauser's persistence.

This wasn't a common snake, not at all.

All those things aside, what had captured his attention was the mark that was very well hidden in its slithered body. It was a sideways eight tattoo.

 **[An infinite symbol?]** Ajuka wore a quizzical look, but then it struck him, **[Oh, wait… don't tell me…]**

"Yes, it is," Danhauser interrupted him, shaking the vial where the black snake was locked into, "This confirms it. The Old Satan Faction has the Ouroboros Dragon on their side."

For what felt like an eternity, Ajuka's apathetic expression took a one hundred and eighty degree turn, shock and fear were all that Danhauser could see registered over the Satan's face for the first time in his life, **[Oh, _fuck!]_**

Danhauser would love to pull out a camera and take a picture of the Maou's face to hang it somewhere in his room, but it wasn't the time for silliness. He still couldn't contain the shaky smile tearing in his face, "My thoughts exactly."

Before replying to the gray-haired, Ajuka took a deep breath and exhaled, calming down slightly, **[Alright. Yes. Sure. Yeah,]** He finally met Danhauser's stare, **[I'll need you to send me that snake. Right now.]**

"I was planning on doing that," Danhauser carefully took the vial from the table, "What's on your mind?"

 **[Make sure this snake is connected in some way to the Ouroboros.]**

Danhauser scowled, "I don't know. Are you sure?" He said, concerned, "Wouldn't your lab suddenly turn to a crisp by the immense energy?"

 **[Correct. If my laboratory explodes then we know this is the Ouroboros' ownership,]** Danhauser liked how the Maou could talk about 'exploding' his laboratory with a straight face, **[Once proven, I'll send it to Sirzechs so he can take the evidence. This should be enough to make a Peace Treaty with the Governor-General and the Archangel.]**

"I mean, the Governor-General and the… _Archangel_ wouldn't mind dropping the weapons if it stops the bloodshed. They'd love to build an alliance. Regardless if we had proof of a Dragon God or not."

 **[We all know that. It's the people of our respective factions that refuse to interact with other species due to past deeds,]** The Super-Devil sighed faintly, **[Hopefully, this should open their eyes and cast their grudge aside. Nice catch, by the way.]**

"Thank you. I'll send it to you once our talk is done."

 **[… Be careful out there, Dan,]** Ajuka said softly, **[One by one, bigger players are stepping out of the shadows. The strongest one already showed up. In situations like these, it's understandable if you back off, you know?]**

"No," Danhauser firmly refused, already foreseeing where this conversation was heading, "I already had this discussion with Cleria. The answer is still the same. _I got this."_

 _For family, will I_ give.

…

…

…

 **[… very well,]** Ajuka said after a pregnant silence, **[If by any chance the Ouroboros is in front of you — just flee and don't look back. Not even Sirzechs in True Form could leave a scratch on that thing.]**

Danhauser gave a weak nod, his mind settled somewhere else, "… You think that's why they want this… Ingvild? To control the Dragon God?"

Ajuka wore a troubled look, **[… That's what I had in mind,]** He tapped his chin impatiently with his fingertips, **[If that was the case, then was the Ouroboros truly affiliated with them?]**

"Maybe she isn't being too cooperative fulfilling Shalba's futile vendetta," Danhauser pointed out, "Dragons rarely follow instructions from others unless they're proven to be stronger than them."

The purpose behind Khaos Brigade was to remove Great Red from the Dimensional Gap — Ophis' birthplace. Anyone who had talent was welcomed within the Ouroboros' ranks. Of course, many factions accepted to side with Ophis mostly to get protection from her whenever they'd plunged the world into chaos and to use her absurdly strong snakes. They didn't care about her goals in the slightest.

They wanted to put Ophis underneath them and use her power with the help of Ingvild's Sacred Gear.

Could this also affect the Dragons of Dragons — Great Red?

 **[And no one is stronger than infinity itself,]** Ajuka added. Danhauser didn't know if the Maou was hiding the identity of Great Red and Trihexa from him or truly wasn't aware of those monsters, **[Then again… is it possible to control a Dragon God with a simple Sacred Gear?]**

"Maybe if it's a High-Tier Longinus," Danhauser dropped his two cents, "But I'd never heard of a Longinus capable of achieving such feats."

 **[Perhaps,]** Ajuka gave him the point of doubt, **[This is where I'm bowing out of here. We'll be in contact. Take care.]**

"Hey… I'm sorry about your Housecarl."

 **[… Don't worry about it.]**

Ajuka disappeared along with the green light.

Danhauser felt his tensed shoulders loosen up once he was left alone in his office, "… Ingvild is in a coma-state, maybe Valerie could fix that? Sairaorg's mother could benefit from it, too."

After all, if Sephiroth Graal could turn a Vampire into an Evil Dragon and lend Danhauser multiple wings — what's stopping it from cutting out restrictions?

"One less problem to worry about," Danhauser yawned softly, "I still need to schedule an appointment with Nurarihyon — even better if it's before or after the Peace Treaty has been signed. Hopefully, he can convince Yasaka to stop trying to melt me with her glares."

He couldn't deny it only made her look sexier.

That's when he felt one of his phone buzzing in his clothes. Grumbling, he pulled it out and noticed a message from a familiar number.

…

He dissolved into a puddle of laughter after reading the short message, "I know what to do," he said, grinning goofily as he stood up.

"It's time to meet up."

.

* * *

.

"Here we are," Roygun looked up when Danhauser had whistled, "So he did it. He built his own bar."

The building was identical to its neighbors right down to the shade of paint on the iron balconies — but Danhauser knew which one was the right one. Whereas every other dwelling was a riot of blooms in every shade, theirs was simply the towering black brick. Along the rail hung boxes and below were hanging baskets.

"Black Dog BAR," Roygun read the neon sign aloud, "So it's here, right?"

"If the neon signs weren't enough of a clue," he nodded at the poster girl hanging on the wall, "That beauty right there? It's Lavinia Reni — magician of Grauzauberer and the exclusive singer of the bar."

Roygun couldn't help but smirk slyly, "Why am I not surprised it's another blondie?"

"…"

The pink-haired snorted a laugh, "How do you feel?"

Her question got the reaction she'd expected. A smile grew of its own accord over Danhauser's face. She could feel every fiber of his being vibrating with anticipation. Adrenaline was coursing through his veins. His hands trembled and his eyes were wide.

 _"This is what a cat must feel like waiting to pounce on a mouse,"_ Roygun inwardly chuckled.

"Honestly? Fucking excited," Danhauser laughed a little, "A little nervous too — I don't even know why!"

Roygun was glad occasions like this fell upon him. After everything Danhauser was passing through, she believed he needed room to breathe.

So — without thinking twice — he wrapped the brass dog knocker three times and waited. In a brief lull of birds chirping they heard the approaching of footsteps. The door opened a crack and a sapphire eye peeked out.

Not even a second and the curious eye widened in doubt and joy by the sight, "Da…?"

Lifting a hand, Danhauser gave the peeping eye a fond smile, "Hey, Lavinia — it's been a while."

The door slammed open and he was instantly pulled into a tight hug — one which he returned in kind, "You finally made it!"

He awkwardly rubbed her back, "Yeah… I was kind of occupied, Lavinia."

Without breaking the embrace, she cocked her head back to meet his eyes. She puffed her cheeks, "It's _Lavi_ for you! And you could at least respond to Tobi's messages! We were worried, you know?"

He chuckled nervously, "My bad, _Lavi."_

A final squish and Lavinia pulled back with a beautiful smile, resting her hands on the sides of his arms, "… You changed a lot. You've gotten taller, Da."

"You too, Lavi."

"Not as much as you, though," Lavinia gasped softly when she squeezed his arms, "You've grown so much too…"

"That's not the only part where he grew a lot dear~!"

"W-what?"

Lavinia hadn't expected the comment, Danhauser could tell by the expression of mild shock on her face and by her cheeks that flushed pink.

Danhauser glared at the woman "… I _seriously_ am regretting bringing you with me."

Roygun merely laughed into her hand, "Do what you must, darling — for I have already won."

Danhauser motioned her to come forward, "Can you at least introduce yourself before making everything uncomfortable?"

The pink-faired gave a smile and lifted a hand, "How do you do? I'm Roygun Belphegor."

"L-Lavinia Reni," the blonde tipped her witch hat down to obscure her face, "… n-nice to meet you."

…

"How have you been holding up, Lavi?" Danhauser quickly tackled a conversation, "Found anything about your legal guardian — Glinda?"

Thankful for the change of topic, Lavinia wore a weak smile, "I'm… afraid not. I'm still stuck on stage one. Not even have we discovered the World of Oz — where I believe she is."

Danhauser placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "What's with the sad face? That's rare coming from you. Cheer up, now that the team is back. We can work together to find any clues."

Her gaze fell for a long minute before settling back on his, and a small smile present on her face, "Thank you," she gasped in horror and realization, "What are we doing?! Everyone is waiting for you! Hurry!"

Roygun chuckled when the magician grabbed the gray-haired by the wrist and yanked him inside despite his protests.

Obviously, he could break free from her grasp but he didn't.

As they made their way inside — with Roygun shutting the door behind them — Lavinia took the lead while sharing her tales. She brought them down to the corridor from the bar toward the warm, cozy atmosphere of the tavern.

The place was small, but homely — with several tables sandwiched between a roaring hearth fire and a bar so polished that it shined like a clean spoon. Roygun spotted the staircase to reach the second floor. Behind the bar were racks and racks of ales, alcohol, and lagers — hearty drinks for a hearty clientele. Tobio — the brunet-haired bartender — stood behind the bar which seemed to be his area of most of his work, wiping off mugs or carting out drinks to his handful of patrons.

Those patrons were pleasant remembrances in Danhauser's eyes.

Huh. The bar wasn't as huge as what its exterior implied, but there was still something or the other about the place that was a little lacking. However, saying that to the owner's face seemed a bit impolite, especially considering how content Tobio — followed by his black dog — was as he bounded towards them. She moved slightly to the background with the magician to lend the peerage some time.

Unfortunately, Tobio and Jin were shoved by an enthusiastic dragon, "Danhauser!"

The gray-haired slowly rose a hand, "Hey there, big guy."

Bova grabbed his forearm and shook it with glee, laughing to his heart content, "Danhauser, friend!" He patted his shoulder before letting him go, "I knew you would make it. Not even the void could stop you."

"Bova, you haven't changed much," Danhauser smiled at his rook, "How's your old man doing?"

"He's fine," Bova grunted, "People are throwing him crap — but that's nothing to him. He's strong."

"As expected from a former Dragon King. I expect you also gotten stronger, Bova."

"Heh-heh-heh! I'm still not on par of Ddraig and Albion — but give me some time and I'll surpass their primes."

Tobio and Jin suddenly joined them, hand outstretched, "Boss, about time you made it — for a second I thought I was _finally_ free from your servitude."

"You won't get away from me _that_ easily," Danhauser shook his hand, "Found the location where you and your grandmother wanted to see?"

"Yeah I did actually, the Governor-General pretty much helped me on that," Slash Dog said, "Mount Huaguo is somewhere hidden in China — ruled and protected by the First Generation Sun Wukong."

"Let's hope the Monkey King bats an eye on us, then," In that precise moment, a pair of slender arms wrapped around his waist, almost making him lose his balance, "Whoa, there! Be careful, Jeanne!"

"This is wonderful — the gang is back~!" obviously his scolding flew over her head, "Now that my homies are back, we gonna spend tons of time together kicking some ass!"

"Language, Jeanne," Siegfried scolded her before bowing at his master, "Good to see you after four years, master."

"A German butler?" Danhauser cocked an eyebrow at his first servant whilst ruffling Jeanne's hair, "… I wasn't expecting the future Strongest Swordsman to dress like that. You look neat, though."

"Please, don't worry, master. My specialty of slicing off flesh and swordsmanship hasn't diminished — on the contrary," he adjusted his glove, "To prove this, I'll curb stomp each opponent who dares to point a sword at you."

"I'll hold you to that promise until then," Danhauser carefully pushed Jeanne off him, "I honestly had in mind a dragon maid…"

Bova stared, "What."

"… but a dragon slayer butler sounds great, too," at long last, he smiled at his only Pawn gawking from the bar, "Staring won't give you the power to see through my clothes, Valerie. Should I make my way to you or are you going to come here instead?"

At cue, Valerie stood up from her stool and her legs automatically saunter over to her master.

Danhauser felt a hand weight down his shoulder, "While you were away, she was quiet the whole time," it was Tobio, murmuring close his ear, "She was waiting for you."

It was too late to return a reply, the Dhampir was already there.

"You came," she said, a little out of breath, "I was getting worried."

Well, she was glad to see him, that was good. He softly placed his hands atop her shoulders, "What were you getting worried about?"

Valerie waved off his question a little too fast. "Oh, nothing. Forget it." Her gaze shuffled around left and right — as if she were searching for something. Eventually, though, the Dhampir's eyes landed back on his, and a timid smile played upon her lips. "You really came back."

"Why are you still in disbelief?" Danhauser inquired amusingly while pulling her into a hug, one which she returned with emotion she had no clue she was holding back, "How have you been holding up, Little Missus? Nothing bad happened while you were in Romania. Right?"

"… A few things," the arms squeezed a fraction tighter and Valerie sighed, her body melting into her King, "… but let's talk about it later."

"… This is my only chance!" Danhauser and Valerie stumbled a little when Jeanne wrecked their moment, "It's now or never — dammit!"

Valerie's eye twitched in annoyance, "What are you doing?"

"This is the closest thing to a group hug that I'll ever have with ya'll — I'm so sorry, Valerie!"

"Get. Off. Now."

"Just a little more!"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

Valerie was about to bare her fangs and hiss down to her but halted once she felt a pair of slender arms from behind — reaching out for Danhauser and herself. She glanced behind to see the intruder. "This… this must be an _awful_ jest."

Lavinia giggled nervously and tightened her embrace, "You three were having fun — I didn't want to be left out!"

"Hah…? This troublesome boy — too much yellow in his life," guess who'd joined in the cuddles, "let's mix a bit of pink~!"

Valerie narrowed her eyes at Danhauser — who had a dumb expression, "You… You're enjoying this, are you not?"

"... I just really like girls."

She huffed but kept her arms locked on him.

Bova watched the scene with the two knights, "Shouldn't we help Bosshauser?"

Tobio snorted, "Why?"

"Because master could suffocate in those…" Siegfried drawled, awkwardly gesturing at _those_ , "… flesh mounds."

Slash Dog laughed, "Chill out. Look at his face — he's enjoying every second of it."

"Man, Devils have crappy tastes. Who the hell wants to be drowned in tits?"

Tobio just shrugged, "I dunno, that's up to you to figure it out. I'll go back to my stall and make some drinks for all of you. It's gonna be a tiresome day."

But he couldn't deny, that today was a good day.

It's good to be back.

.

* * *

.

"Mah, mah. We're back to square one. That Shalba brat had to fuck it up."

"I don't need you to remind me for the hundredth time, Fallen Angel."

"Four years working together and you're still calling me like that? So harsh. Is your older sister the only one capable of warming up that cold heart of yours?"

"As if. That traitor went so low as to become a servant of the Gremory. She is lost — long ago. She is but a pale shadow now."

"… So what now? We, the roots of all evil, are lacking members of our own little group. Not even with my Utsusemi and Hexennacht would be enough to fill the empty spots."

"The plan was to steal Agreas which guards the technology of the Original Satans to nourish Lord Nebiros' research. Apparently, analyzing the 'exorcist' with the potty mouth won't bear any significant result."

"Darn it, then Walburga's capture wasn't worth a crap."

"… We were on verge of greatness, we were _so_ close but because of Shalba's idiocy — Ars Goetia is going to implement strictness in their military system. It would be impossible to become victorious even if we have the Strongest Evil Dragon in our side."

"And without the Sephiroth Graal that the Vampire Marius and you so much adore placing in a pedestal — it's impossible to revive the Evil Dragons that died in ancient times. The odds are against us."

"…"

"I know that look. You have something in your mind, don't you?"

"… It cannot be helped — we'll have to reconsider my Lord's strategy."

"You must be joking."

"Do I look like a jester? Let's hurry — we're slacking behind and we need to make a lot of preparations. I'll speak with Shalba while you try to make contact with the Netherworld."

"Mah, mah. It appears Qlippoth will make a move sooner than I'd anticipated."

.

* * *

 **.**

 **Guest - We will see :P**

 **good chapter - your review made me laugh, yet sad at the same time. Because it's true.**

 **F4 -Let's be real, if you're up to date with the Light Novels, anyone would've guessed it was Asia 2.0.  
**

 **Guest - Ack! I didn't mean to address Danhauser as the Strongest Youth, it wouldn't be fair since he was away from the Underworld, unlike Sairaorg. What I meant to say on that part is that Dan visited Sairabro.**

 **Kalmaegi - Asia is not the only one, Kuisha too. And trust me, what I had in mind between Dan and the Heaven Faction is gonna be a blast.  
**

* * *

 **And we ended the Raiser Arc in one chapter! I know, I know, where's the character development for the Gremory Team. You'll see it eventually. Mostly because some of Danhauser's Peerage has a connection of sort with Rias' servants. I can't ignore those.**

 **Nothing interesting happened in this chapter, expect future chapters for chaos to commence. Where canon diverges and where Danhauser will reap what he'd sow.**

 **I won't lie, I stayed away from this fic quite a while. Mostly because of Ishibumi's plans of DxD. It left a sour taste in my mouth.**

 **Spoiler alert if you're fan of DxD LN. There's an enemy that is more powerful than Ophis in her full prime and Great Red. Combined (not sure). They have a brother and sister who are said to not be inferior to their OP brother in terms of power. To be honest, I didn't dig that and left me a bit meh.  
**

 **While I stayed away from this fic, I've been thinking of whether I'll end it where Ishibumi will end DxD or sooner. The fact that I revealed Ingvild early means that I'll continue until the Light Novels end. With my own touch.**

 **On a bright side, my time away from this fic helped me quite a bit. You see, each fanfic of each fandom has an special touch that makes it different from others fics. I believe mine is the concept of "True Form" and perhaps the more focus in politics. Character development not because I suck at those.**

 **What I'm trying to say is that, not only the Devil race have "True Forms".  
**

 **Some will be shown in the fic, other**

 **Back to the fic, we're now in the Kokabiel Arc... expect the arc to last half a chapter.**

 **Congratulations for those who'd guessed Danhauser's spear! I hate you.**

 **See you in 2020! Cheers!**

* * *

 **Life.3: Fallen Angel of the Stars, Kokabiel**


	33. Fallen Angel of the Stars

**Life. 3: Fallen Angel of the Stars, Kokabiel**

* * *

From the abandoned church, came a humming sound — more beautiful than the softest of singers. Her gentle humming engulfed the empty church in a good vibe as she brushed the stairs with a broom.

Asia looked over the chapel and smiled. Due to the Vice-Principal's helpful hand, the abandoned church didn't look exactly like the scene of a cheap horror movie. It was now beautiful. It struck her with nostalgia during her times during the Vatican.

While its structure couldn't match to the likes of the churches ubicated in the Vatican City — it was still part of her life and proof of their hard work.

A shame no one stopped by, despite the time and effort she and the Vice-Principal had to spend to make the place feel homely.

Issei rarely visited her, but whenever he did, he would scan their surroundings as if to make sure he wasn't pursued. Whenever she asked him about it, the brunet would play it off with a laugh and take her somewhere else to squander time — whether to the arcade machines or eat hamburgers with fries.

It only made her worried about him. Maybe his parents didn't want him to spend time with her? She wouldn't be too surprised if that was the case, some people were afraid of her because of her Sacred Gear; they were ignorant of the Supernatural World.

Her emerald eyes lightened up when the huge doors were pushed open.

She couldn't tone down the coy smile playing on her lips.

"A visitor!" Asia dropped the broom and rushed to greet the new figure, it wasn't the Vice-Principal nor Issei, it was a new face. She bowed in respect, "W-welcome! Welcome! Please come in!"

"Ah, good day to you!" the black-haired man said, his lips sporting a hyena-like grin, "You must be the Italian nun this town speaks about! They were right — you're a cutie indeed!"

She could feel the heat growing in her cheeks, "U-umm…"

The man laughed heartily and looked down on her once more, his red eyes towering her green ones, "I apologize for the inconvenience, but is the church still open? I need to confess something. Are you the only one working here?"

"Yes…" she looked away from his fiery eyes to her own shoes, playing with the hem of her dress, "… I'm still a bit inexperienced handling the confessional room, but I-I'll do my best!"

"Wonderful! I admire people who would challenge their flaws just for self-improvement!"

Before Asia could reply, her eyes accidentally caught the sight of a loose, black feather falling from his clothes to the floor.

"Before confessing my sin, am I worthy to know your name, priestess?"

"Y-yes!" the blonde broke from her stupor and gave a bow, "A-Asia Argento."

"My Lord, is the Church ready?" Asia saw a second man coming from the doors. He was a bespectacled elderly man with gray hair and priests clothes. He looked surprised to see her, "Oh my… the Holy Saint."

"Bishop Valper?" Asia shuffled nervously, throat dry, "W-what are you doing here?"

"I should introduce myself as well," her heart missed a beat when the man sprouted five pairs of black wings from his back and flapped them in sync, extinguishing the flickering candles in the chapel.

"I am Kokabiel — the Star of God," the Cadre greeted, "And my sin is to continue the Great War."

.

* * *

.

"So, it's true," Tobio said, placing the dark-brown drink in front of Danhauser in a cup — complete with a little glass coaster, "You really are part of the Old Satan Faction."

"Well yes, but actually no," Danhauser quipped, leaning against the wood stained bar-top before taking his coffee and blowing off the steam, "The Great King approached me with the request of becoming a double agent. I had no choice but accept it."

"Bael, boss? Don't you remember what they did four years ago?" Tobio was taken back when Danhauser nodded slightly, "You do? Well, alright, if you're so sure, then I trust you... Just don't drag me off into hell twice a day like before. But then again, you still will, so what the hell."

"Still… you being part of a terrorist group that could depose you once your usefulness has ceased could become dangerous," Valerie said after a moment, "… Let's hope it doesn't come back to haunt us."

"They won't kill me," Danhauser rubbed her back with comfort, "So, don't jinx me there, Little Missus."

Siegfried folded his arms, "The choice was yours to make and I'll respect that. Just watch yourself, master."

Lavinia squinted her eyes skeptically at Danhauser, "I can't be the only one who doesn't agree with this?"

"I don't," Roygun said after savoring her alcohol, "not even his family, but again… government."

Danhauser rubbed his eyes, "That's… basically the gist of my situation."

"On another note, you did a great job of capturing him," Jeanne lauded with a cold smile, "… I just wish one day I'll have the honors to talk with him. Privately."

Everyone felt the shiver crawling through their core.

"Yeah, you did a great job capturing Diodora, Bosshauser. But giving the Bael the credit was weak," Bova released a subtle snort afterward, "This 'man' of theirs, he hides. He was smart to hire you, but a real king takes actions with his own hands."

"If I were to get recognition, Shalba would find out and I'll get in a huge mess," Danhauser countered before taking a quick sip of his coffee, "Moving on. Since you guys are going to stay here in Kuoh, I'll need to process your permissions."

"We literally traveled from an airplane," Siegfried pointed out, "We do have passports, master."

"I know, I know," Danhauser sighed and summoned two passports, "But the one you have is for the Human World. You need another one for the Supernatural World or — rather — to not get in trouble with the Kyoto Youkai Faction."

Nurarihyon told him it was mostly because of the events that had transpired four years ago. From the Utsusemi Agency wreaking havoc in the streets Japan to Satanael and his Stray Magicians making their debut. The Youkai Faction had to make sure they were negotiating with legal visitors and _not_ terrorists.

Bova huffed, "Man, politics are crap."

"Yeah," Jeanne nodded, finishing her juice, "Most of the time, they're the worst... but they're important for civilization to survive."

"Bah! You could learn one or two things from my race. All it takes is a headbutt to solve ninety percent of things."

"Unless your nationality is Japanese like Sae and I then don't sweat it," Tobio fished out his passport — it had the Grigori sigil on it, "Governor-General still made one for me — better safe than sorry."

"To get those, I need to book a meeting with the Youkai Faction or my brother could lend me a hand…" Danhauser muttered to himself and leaned on the bar, "Tobio, think I can use your bar for a meet up?"

Danhauser caught Tobio by surprise, his mug-cleaning hand going steady as an eyebrow arched upwards, questionably.

"I need a word with the High Priest of the Moon — Nurarihyon," rapping his fingers along the bartop, Danhauser trailed off, "Important matters and the Kyoto trip for the second-year students."

"Alright," Slash Dog didn't have to think it over very long, setting his glass and rag down to, instead, point upwards, "You can use the second floor to suit your needs. Just drop a date and I'll keep the room reserved for you."

Danhauser smiled, "That's great. Thank you."

Right on cue, a phone echoed throughout the bar.

"It's mine," Tobio shook his phone and unlocked what was supposed to be the wine cellar room, seeking for privacy and space, "I'll be back in a sec."

Valerie took the opportunity to snare her king's attention by tugging softly on his sleeve, "Hey… is Gasper alright? Nothing bad happened to him while I was absent, right?"

"He's doing great," of course, he couldn't tell her he'd failed to visit him back then, mostly because of prior occurrences, "He doesn't know you're here, either."

"Ehehehe… that is good news. It wouldn't be a nuisance if we could pay him a visit sometime?"

"Of course not, he'll cry rivers once he sees you," Danhauser cleared his throat, "Quick question, how's your control with Sephiroth Graal?"

Valerie's eyebrow went up, "… Why ask?"

…

"… I suppose you guys deserve to know," Danhauser commented after finishing his coffee in one, last gulp, "Shalba Beelzebub is lovey-dovey with a hybrid girl who's a descendant of the original Satans — Ingvild Leviathan."

Lavinia gasped behind a hand, "Va…"

"One Maou hybrid was already unbelievable," Siegfried whispered, eyes wide, "But two of them…?"

Bova stared, unimpressed, "… We're slowly turning into a traveling freak show."

"This is getting out of hand!" Jeanne bit back a groan, "now, there are two of them!"

Jin howled in agreement.

"This generation is abnormal," Roygun whispered under her breath, twirling strands of her pink hair, "… You brats are really scary."

"Actually, she's not from my generation — she's way older," Danhauser drawled, "Like, _really_ old. She's in a comatose state for perhaps a hundred years and counting."

Roygun winced, "That's terrible."

"That's why you wanted to know my progress," Valerie already caught on, "My progress over the Sephiroth Graal. To see if it's possible to cure this girl's disease."

"Not only Ingvild," Danhauser rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, "… I also want to see if it would work out with Sairaorg's mother."

Valerie's eyes went down to her palms. It wasn't an issue, she believed she could handle the task without suffering any consequence. But still, there was an issue that made the Dhampir bite her lip in hesitation.

Four years had passed and she still despised her Longinus.

Whenever she invoked the Holy Chalice in her hands, the grim memories of her family breaking her clouded her view — as if she was experiencing the event once again. It didn't help that she was in Romania once again — making the experience tenfold worse.

If she had the chance, she would expulse Sephiroth Graal from her body. No hesitation. No second thoughts. Just away.

How ironic. The woman who'd commented adaptability was the key of survival, couldn't get used to the holy chalice residing within her.

Yet, if it wasn't for this damned chalice, she wouldn't be able to leave her cell with the assistance of Malacoda Malebranche.

She wouldn't meet him.

"Of course, only if you're capable of doing it," Danhauser squeezed her shoulders, "If using the Sephiroth Graal still comes with an aftereffect… then don't. I don't want you to get hurt."

Of course. He had to say it with _that_ tone of voice. Now it became quite difficult to refuse.

She placed a hand over her chest, confused. There was it once again — the fluttering feeling. Weird and warm. Her body reacted this way whenever her king soothed her. It wasn't a frightening sensation — on the contrary, it felt quite pleasant. Yet, she still failed to understand its purpose.

Why did only Danhauser make her feel this way?

She had to know, and Danhauser was the only one who would respond to her queries.

 _ **[He who does not fear the Longinus he possesses is not worthy of possessing a Longinus,]**_ a drowsy whisper came from her mind — her Sacred Gear, _**[Yet, your dread is what opposes you from evolving. So disappointing.]**_

Valerie felt a knot tighten in her throat, _"L-leave me alone."_

 **[You waste your time, Jailer. You know you will yield. Some temptations can be resisted because they can be avoided, but some ... some are as inevitable as the air we breathe.]**

 _"Make it quick. What do you want?"_

 **[A reminder — a reminder of our agreement,]** it said to her. **[The meeting has finished, allies shoved aside. The date with your king must start, a pact you must _abide.]_**

Its malevolent presence vanished soon after and Valerie felt the power to breathe easily once again.

"Valerie?" Her gaze darted back to the gray-haired youth, concern laced in his voice, "Are you okay? You'd been glaring into nothing."

She looked over the bar, everyone was looking at her with different levels of worry.

"I-I am well," Valerie massaged her aching temple, "… Yes. I can do it. I can heal them."

"Are you sure?"

Valerie narrowed her eyes, "You concern is appreciated, but I'm not a damsel in distress… not anymore at least. I can take care of myself."

Danhauser stared at her suspiciously, "Alright," he finally relented, "We still have to talk."

The Dhampir's eyes softened at that as she nodded, "… Yes, we have a lot to talk about."

Danhauser's real phone went off. He fished out the device out of his pocket to see who dared to shoot him a call, "Excuse me a sec," he said to everyone before answering, "Ahoy-hoy?"

 **[Err. Hey, Danhauser. What's up…]**

"Hey cousin," Danhauser was surprised she called him by his name rather than his nickname, "What's going on? Too tired with the paperwork? I can go there right away."

 **[Paperwork is not the problem here you see…]**

Danhauser could hear feel the desperation from the phone, despite her attempts to remain cool and collected, "What happened?" He demanded, voice serious.

If the Light Novel's canon was at least somewhat intact, then Danhauser knew what came next.

 **[… E-exorcists. Two of them. Here in Kuoh Academy.]**

That answered all his suspicions. If Xenovia and Irina were already there, then it means Kokabiel had already made his move.

A Fallen Angel on par with a Satan-Class Devil and survivor of the Great War.

He paced a few steps away from the group before wheeling around and noticing everyone hanging quietly until he finished his conversation.

It could work, it would totally work.

It's time for True Form— he thought.

"Where are they right now?" he asked while keeping his eyes fixed on the group not so far away from him — mostly on Roygun who'd been staring at his phone intently, "They talked with you?"

 **[N-not, umm, not yet. They went first to speak with the Student Council and then with the Occult Research Club. I think I've got approx. five minutes before they knock on my office. What the hell are they doing here…? Y-You think they're here because what happened f-four years ago…? T-to finish what they had started?!]**

"Calm down, Cleria," Danhauser said with the gentlest voice he could muster. The last thing he needed is her throw a huge drama because of her phobia against the exorcists, "… Listen, just take deep breaths and wait for us. We'll… we'll meet there, okay?" nothing else to add he hung up and faced everyone, "Exorcists in Kuoh."

It was clear that Jeanne's shock had been kindled, "… What?"

"What do they want?" Siegfried asked.

"I don't know," Danhauser lied behind his teeth, "And we won't know until we demand answers."

"I can teleport you there," Lavinia offered, "To save yourself the travel."

"That would be great. Thank you, Lavi."

"Hah… Cleria also kept me up to date," Roygun clicked her tongue once the message had popped on her screen's phone, "In that case, we should really hurry up then. We both know that Exorcists and Kuoh are a big no-no."

"Well, what are we waiting foe?" Bova flexed his wings, "I've been dying for a challenge. Siegtard came first into my mind, but that would be too boring and too easy."

The coldness could be felt from Siegfried's laugh, "The horns on your head aren't the only thing twisted it seems. Is your head working alright?"

"Yours won't once I pummel you into the ground!"

"Unbelievable. Four years and you two are still whining at small things," Valerie shook her head, "No matter how old you two are, you're still acting like brats."

"Bad news," all eyes dashed over Tobio stepping out of the wine cellar, "Governor-General told me one of Grigori's leaders has gone astray — Kokabiel."

…

"That's… not good," Roygun pointed out the obvious.

"That's not good? That's amazing!" Bova boasted a laugh, "No matter where and how hell is always coming after us. I like that."

Roygun rolled her eyes in return, "Did the Governor-General tell you his actual location or at least his final destination, Slash Dog?"

"Yeah, this is where shit hits the fan," Tobio pursed his lips, "Kuoh Town."

"Okay, we're leaving!" Roygun didn't wait for ifs ands or buts, she merely addressed Danhauser with a pleading look, "Everything went downhill… really fast. We have to move, now!"

Danhauser didn't react at her outburst, lured by his phone this whole time, "… You guys are ready to aim for the bigger leagues or should I call my brother?"

"Like shooting fish in a barrel," Tobio flashed a fearless smirk, "even in his Balance Breaker, Vali can't match mine. He needs to go full Juggernaut Drive to kick my ass. We got this."

It was a fact — Tobio was the strongest of his incomplete peerage and even if he finally completed his set of pieces — Slash Dog would still take the lead. He'd believed the King of Wolves could earn the title as the Strongest Knight without a hitch. Danhauser couldn't be prouder.

He really did a wise move recruiting the brunet four years back. Heck, following canon route by letting Tobio get his brutal training in Nephilim was something that lifted his overall combat experience was a good tactic on Danhauser's part. Sometimes, sticking to canon's rails was more rewarding than straying from it.

He was a combination of Napoleon and Alexander the Great — dangerous but short as fuck.

Where Danhauser believed Tobio improved the most was in his speed. Unfortunately, because of his Knight attribute, his defense was lower — making him vulnerable to powerful attacks if he wasn't careful. A weakness that Siegfried should treat lightly, too.

"You guys seem confident, maybe I shouldn't stress too much then…" Roygun felt her heartbeat went back to normal, "… still, need an extra hand? It's been years since I had a fight. A warm-up wouldn't hurt anybody…"

"Nope. I need you to stay with Cleria and keep her safe at all cost," Danhauser pocketed his phone and felt her stare, "What's with the pout? I don't need Kuoh Town in crumbles because of your mutated Clan Trait."

"Aw, killjoy," Roygun stuck her tongue out, "You know that, if Kokabiel goes after Cleria, I'll have to go all out on him, right?"

"… Fine. A risk that I'm willing to take," Danhauser conceded after a vacant silence, "As long as it keeps my cousin away from danger then fine — have no mercy on him."

"Even if the Town gets demolished too? It'll become more challenging to please the High Priestess of the Sun."

Danhauser winked at her, "I always _loved_ difficult women — I'll handle her when the time comes."

"What's the plan?" Bova brought back the crucial point of this conversation, "As long as there's a fight, you won't hear any objections from me!"

"You can bet there will be a few fights," Danhauser turned to his mutated knight, "Tobio, while I keep the exorcists distracted, I need you to search for Kokabiel all over the town. Once you've located his hideout, drop a call or a message and wait for us. Take Bova with you, his nose could be useful for your hunt."

Tobio gave a two-finger salute, "Roger, roger."

"This is weird," Valerie brought a hand to her chin, deep in thought, "… Exorcists and a Cadre in Kuoh Town… this can't be catalogized as 'mere' occurrence. Something must have transpired in the past to make these two forces arrive at Kuoh Town of all places."

"You think they're connected in some way, don't you?" Siegfried saw her nod a little, "Hm. We're on the same boat, then."

"Save your theories for later, detectives," Danhauser said to them, "We'll find our answers in Kuoh."

"I want to see them," Jeanne suddenly requested to the gray-haired, "I…I want to see these exorcists."

Her petition alone made his mouth turn into a grim line, "… I don't think that's a good idea, Jeanne," he tried to persuade her, "… You know how the Church can be hard against those labeled as… 'heretics'."

Especially when this was Bitch!Xenovia who we were talking about. While the chosen of Durandal would prioritize her mission above anything else, she wouldn't shy at spitting venom all over the place if it left her message clear.

"Dan, _please_. I need to see with my own eyes who were sent here in Kuoh."

"… Don't say I didn't warn you," He reluctantly dropped the subject, they were wasting valuable time already. If Xenovia were to voice her thoughts out — which she would — then he would just trigger his Sub-Species Balance Break: Knight in Shining Armor.

He nodded at the blonde-haired magician, "Lavi."

Lavinia nodded back and invoked multiple spells underneath them, "Please, be save."

.

* * *

.

…

There was absolute stillness. No air stirred the curtains or their hairs. No clouds drifted in the sea of blue above the roof. Not a sound could be heard either close at hand or in the far-off distance. Even his own breath seemed to die as soon as it left his mouth. It was an eerie sort of tranquility, so instead of being soothed his senses became heightened. It was as if the world were encased in a cocoon, a bubble, and there was no way out.

Despite the tense silence hanging between them, Danhauser held his ground against the sharp stare of the blue-haired woman and the nervous one of the orange-haired woman. He couldn't deny it — they were both beautiful.

His peerage was behind him — save Bova and Tobio. If a scandal were to break out, Siegfried would be the first to draw his demonic sword — Gram.

Plus, Roygun was somewhere in the academy with Cleria — keeping an eye out of her.

Letting his eyes roam over the humongous, holy weapon wrapped in skewered bandages — he sunk his elbow over the armchair, "Sorry for the current state of my office, by the way. If I were to know the Church was about to send their forces in my cousin's territory, I would've reserved a room for you two to stay."

"We're not here for traveling pleasures," Xenovia dismissed his offerings, "We were sent here by orders of the Vatican Headquarters."

Danhauser leaned forward a little, "That harsh look… so you know," he shook his head with a low chuckle, "I believe introductions aren't necessary, are they?"

"I was skeptical at first," Xenovia confessed, her voice going considerably cold, "… but after meeting _you_ face-to-face for the first time… no doubt… your characteristics coincide with the reports given by our higher-ups."

"Color me impressed. I didn't expect to be that famous in the Church. I bet they love me."

"On the contrary. You're despised — especially by the Vatican, " Xenovia bluntly said.

Unbeknown to everyone, Valerie's eyebrow twitched at that.

"He was being sarcastic, Xenovia," Irina murmured.

Unfortunately, her friend didn't listen.

"Danhauser Belial — next head of the Clan Belial and younger brother of Diehauser Belial," Xenovia evoked the words written in the confidential documents lent to her, "An abnormal Devil amongst High-Class Devils. Known by defeating the users of Hauteclere—"

Danhauser caught a wince coming from Xenovia's partner.

"—and Galatine by only releasing what Heaven described as 'Pseudo-True Form' four years ago — avoid confrontation at any cost," Xenovia then regarded the peerage with pity, "accused of seducing the former Holy Saint… Joan of Arc and, from what it appears, Chaos-Edge Sieg of the Orthodox Church as well…"

"I wasn't seduced by no one!" Jeanne rebutted, "neither was Siegfried. It was our choice to make!"

"Then you weren't manipulated at all," all signs of remorse were removed from Xenovia's face at this point, "This is worse than we anticipated. Have you forgotten our code, Joan of Arc?"

"A 'code' must be determined by the individual," Siegfried spoke up, becoming the voice of reason for the group, "This is the path we've chosen."

"Your choice was to sell your humanity and sainthood to the Devil? Like the former holy maiden, you two fell as low as possible."

Valerie smiled sardonically, "Yes, yes, in your head it's another cloudless day."

"And who you might be?"

"It is little business to you, little girl," Valerie hissed.

"You're here to speak with me, not with my peerage," Danhauser reminded Xenovia, his tone hardening without crossing the line, "Remember what your superiors ordered of you. _Avoid_ any confrontation."

It was silence afterward.

"… I'm surprised. From the chaos it brought to both parties in the past, I expected the Catholic Church would zip their mouths," Danhauser said after everyone cooled down, "To make sure past mistakes didn't repeat themselves."

"My partner was there when everything occurred," it was surprising that Irina wasn't being her cheerful self like in the Light Novels, "… even so, it's impossible to hide any evidence of that… Irina by the way, and she's Xenovia."

Xenovia bit back a groan, "I believe we're getting off topic. Can we proceed with the crucial point of the meeting? Our time here is limited."

Danhauser leaned on his seat and granted her wish with a simple nod.

"Good. A few Excalibur fragments were stolen from their respective vault," Xenovia explained, "Luckily, the Church was able to track the thief's last destination."

"It's right here, Kuoh Town," Irina continued, "the Headquarters were quick to deport us here the moment they identified the location."

 _"I wonder if this person was here for a while…"_ Danhauser speculated and cleared his throat, _"Who's the one behind all this mess?"_

Of course, he knew. He just had to keep his knowledge over the future as a secret.

"Kokabiel of Grigori."

"I knew it!" Valerie muttered, putting a hand under her chin to formulate more theories, "the Exorcists and the Fallen Angel were intertwined in some way... what for?"

"And how do you know about this?" Xenovia frowned, clearly concluding that they're part of the crime, "are you two associated in any way?"

Valerie scoffed at her accusation, "A fool you are by jumping to that conclusion. I'll say it as many times as I need to say it. Do _not_ dare to lump us with the Fallen Angel."

"The headquarters do not trust the Devils and Fallen Angels, it might be possible for you two come up with an accord of sorts."

"Then your headquarters are damn wrong. We have no reason to help out Kokabiel in the robbery," Danhauser brushed off her allegations, "However, you judging the Grigori by someone else's actions isn't fair either. The Governor-General couldn't care less about your broken toys; his passion is only in Sacred Gears and nothing else."

Danhauser's phone rang and he stood up to leave, "I have a call to answer. Don't kill each other."

…

…

…

Jeanne stepped forward, a troubled look painted all over her face, "Please answer me this. The Vatican only sent you two?"

"What about it?" Xenovia questioned, "Are you doubting our skills?"

"You two are nothing against Kokabiel," Siegfried dropped the unfortunate news, "Only Eminence Strada, Eminence Cristaldi and the Strongest Exorcist in his Balance Break could push his back over the wall."

"Father had a _hilarious_ way of describing this," Valerie tapped her lips in 'thought' before smiling morbidly, "Ah yes, 'getting rid of the trash'."

"What a pessimistic perspective," Irina said, annoyed by her mockery, "Is that all you can see?"

"Ehehehe… I'm only pointing out facts, little girl."

"That's not pointing out facts, that's being a cynical," Irina then properly faced Siegfried, "Eminence Cristaldi and Eminence Strada are occupied by watching over the Vatican and the Pope. Lord Dulio isn't permitted to use his Balance Breaker in populated zones…"

"… Why?" Jeanne's halting voice reached the whole room, "… Why did headquarters not send someone like Dulio and Griselda…? Why would they send two initiates after a Cadre-Class?! Going to Kuoh Town while Kokabiel is here is considered a suicidal move!"

"Didn't you do the same thing?" Xenovia ignored her outburst, "You also came to Kuoh Town years ago which is still inhabited by Devils."

"It was a different matter!" Jeanne tightened her jaw at that, "I… I was doing everything to make the Three Biblical Faction become united!"

"And yet you failed," Xenovia retorted dismissively, "You were a saint back then. Your task was to guide orphans to a better light and you cowered from your role by striving for the impossible. It'd cost your sainthood and freedom in return. Or you thought that was a triumph, Joan of Arc?"

"Stop calling me like that already!" Jeanne fought her hardest to not lunge over the bluenette, "I'm not Joan of Arc and… and never will I be like her..."

"I agree. Joan of Arc had died in the bonfire. You are but her evil aspect — a witch," Xenovia sighed, "It must be so sad to look forward to slavery, to feel no liberty and seek no reward in the life to come."

"Yes, the anguish tears at me so _much_. You have seen through me to my sad, _sad_ core."

Xenovia frowned at the Dhampir, "Now you're just mocking us."

"My. You notice?" Valerie feigned a gasp, "Aren't you perhaps the brightest crayon in the box…?"

"You still have a chance to leave," Siegfried quickly meddled before Valerie's snide added fuel to the fire, "… Even if you two have a trump card under your sleeve it won't be enough to make you the victor."

"If at least we destroy the Excalibur fragments then we're fine dying if it's for our religion," Xenovia replied without hesitation, her sharp eyes boring through theirs, "Unlike other people, we rather die on our feet than live on our knees."

Valerie scoffed at the flaws behind her bitter words, "And this from someone who _kneels_ to pray?"

"… Forgive me anyone listening, but you, Xenovia, are a bitch," Jeanne glared at Xenovia and tightened her hands so much that her fingernails bit into her palms, "a cruel, _cruel_ bitch, and you will get your comeuppance."

"Perhaps," Xenovia said after an abrupt silence, "But even so, you know in your tainted heart that I am right."

Xenovia left her seat, repeated by Irina, "Our demand is simple, Devils. We want you to not interfere with this incident — we'll take it from here."

"Also!" Irina quickly added, "… We'd heard that there's a Devil about to become an stray devil… the Knight of the Gremory Clan. Watch out for him!"

"The one we had a fight with," Xenovia muttered to herself, "I doubt our presence is welcomed here so we'll take our leave. While we're doing our mission, act as if nothing happened."

"Sorry, but there's a change of plans," all eyes darted over the gray-haired Devil joining them, "we're getting involved as well."

"Slash Dog found him?" Siegfried asked.

Danhauser tossed his phone to his knight, "The coordinates are right there. All of you, hop in — I'll teleport us there."

Unfortunately, Xenovia wasn't so thrilled by the idea, "Form an alliance with the Devils? That's absurd. It would worsen the balance of the Three Factions, especially if it's you."

Valerie's satirical smile faltered at that. At this point, she was doubting the intelligence of these girls. Or was it arrogance? Or distrust for being fed-up by the controversy of her master? How dare they to refuse the assistance of her master? To insult him when he was trying to lend some assistance?!

Those fucking—!

"If you think I'll put my faith over two fourth-rate exorcists to protect my cousin and this town then forget it," Danhauser was unfazed by her sharp gaze, "If you won't work with us, it's okay — just stay out of this. My peerage and I will take care of the case now. Last chance, are you in or out?"

The way Xenovia narrowed her eyes already answered his question, "We _won't_ follow your orders."

"And you think I'll follow yours?" Danhauser fired back, "You have no power here, little girl. My cousin is the one in charge of Kuoh Town, but when she's absent, I'm the one who makes the calls. Either you follow my lead or fly back to the Vatican. Simple as that."

"The Vatican and Heaven won't—!"

"I don't care what Heaven or the Vatican has to say on this," Danhauser cut her off, "My priority is ensuring the well-being of my family over all things."

Her fingers over the cloaked, legendary weapon tightened. As predicted, the Devil was rebelling against the orders of her higher-ups. Speaking with this Devil was already trespassing to dangerous territory, if news of their temporal truce were to blown up… trouble would kindle against them and a fate similar to Joan of Arc would occur.

Plus she didn't trust this man's intentions. Not a bit.

No one from the Vatican did.

"Don't think I didn't hear how you mistreated my Rook while I was on the phone," Danhauser's warning growl snapped her out of her trance, "Because we're in a hurry, I'll let you off the hook this time or else I would make you eat those words. Are we clear?"

Xenovia understood she'd touched a nerve and backed a tad away with Irina copying her movements.

"There's a good girl," Danhauser sneered, "Now get out my office."

Xenovia looked dissatisfied by the end results of their meeting — she even looked ready to try her hand once again. But a hard stare was all it took to shut her mouth. There was no more room of discussion, let alone debate… they had no choice but to leave.

"That was harsh, master," Siegfried sighed.

"Ehehehe… Indeed," despite her giggles, Valerie was glaring daggers at the exit, "… Not that I mind seeing this new layer of yours."

"Well, she got me all triggered. Insulting my peerage and bossing me around…" he stopped once he saw his pawn trying to melt the door with only her gaze. He softly squeezed her shoulder, "Hey, keep staring the door that way and I _might_ get jealous. What's wrong? Did they say something to bother you too?"

Valerie pulled out of her trance with a strained smile, "I am well."

He stared deep into his favorite red eyes for a while before silently dropping the subject. Knowing how stubborn Xenovia could be, she would continue her mission no matter what. Moreover, Yuuto could also become a thorn on this because of his traumatic past.

He gave Xenovia a chance to form an alliance and she shoved the offer to the side. Whether it was because of his infamy with the Heaven Faction or orders of her higher-ups didn't matter anymore, the decision had been chosen by her.

The last thing he needed was them to intervene now.

His train of thoughts stopped once Jeanne tugged on his sleeve to catch his attention, "Yes, cutie?"

"I-I know how to look after myself, you know?" Jeanne playfully shoved him before smiling shyly, "… not that I don't appreciate the help. Thank you for that, Dan."

Danhauser barked a laugh while ruffling her beautiful hair, "Let's get moving. Tobio and Bova are waiting for us already."

.

* * *

.

After teleporting to their destinated location, everyone quickly looked around for safety measures and to locate the two servants that Danhauser had sent ahead to gather information about their enemy's position, strength, or movements.

Danhauser heard a whistle coming from upstairs and perked up, spotting Tobio, Jin and Chibi Bova atop the branch of a tree.

"Good to see you guys," Tobio easily jumped off the tree, repeated by Bova, "we found them. They're inside the abandoned church."

Danhauser followed with his eyes were Tobio was pointing and scowled, "Aside from Kokabiel, is someone else in there?"

"A hostage is in there," to prove his statement, Tobio showed them a picture of a blonde-haired girl placed on a cross, " Asia Argento, if I'm not mistaken."

Danhauser's expression couldn't turn colder.

"I-I had seen her long ago!" Jeanne recalled, shifting closer to the mobile, "Vasco wanted to rescue her… the Holy Maiden… what she's doing here of all places?"

Siegfried snapped his fingers, "Ah, so that's why she seemed so familiar. To see her in a small town of Japan… what a small world we live on…"

"Why is she crucified?" Valerie frowned, "is this Fallen Angel torturing her?"

"You could say that," Tobio pocketed his phone away, "Grigori had devised a ceremony of sorts to extract a Sacred Gear from the original user. The process is painful from what I'd heard."

Valerie frown's sunk deeper, "That's a careless move," she pointed out, "A Sacred Gear — Longinus or not — is connected to the soul. If it's removed from the owner, they would die."

"He doesn't care about the Sacred Gear," Bova grunted, "he's using her as bait. To force you to come all the way here for a fight, Bosshauser."

Danhauser spared a glance at the distanced church, "Is that so…"

"Also, did I mention that his lackey is Valper Galilei?" Slash Dog just kept souring the mood, "He's trying to fuse the Excalibur Fragments — the ones you told me over the phone, boss."

Siegfried folded his arms, "Genocide Archbishop? The man behind the Holy Sword Project?"

"The one and only."

Jeanne's mouth clenched.

Danhauser spared a look over the silvery moon towering them. Only Valper was with Kokabiel? What about the carbon-copy of Siegfried — Freed Sellzen? Obviously, he was glad that Freed wasn't here — one less problem to worry about. He tried to pay no mind to it. After all, Danhauser had come this far and the last thing he needed was to have his mind distracted with something so insignificant.

 _"You're overthinking things, again,"_ Danhauser thought self-critically, _"What matters here is handling Kokabiel and rescuing Asia. Thinking about the future is a second priority. For now."_

"Tobio. Azazel gave us the green lights to kill him?"

"He wants him alive," Tobio replied dryly, "Both of them, actually. He's looking forward to smacking them all the way to Cocytus."

"Is the Governor-General at least going to lend us some backup?" Valerie asked.

Tobio smirked slyly, "You're speaking with _the_ backup."

Valerie hummed but said nothing.

"Understood. Orders are orders," their King drawled, "Kokabiel is no joke, though. I need my two caballeros here."

The fight may take longer without Vali, but Danhauser believed they had this wrapped wonderfully. Slash Dog was here and Angels and Fallen Angels shared something in common — they were weak against demonic swords just as how Devils were weak against holy swords.

"That would be us," Siegfried stepped forward, Tobio following suit, "What's the plan?"

"Make sure the nun is safe and then we're going all in on Kokabiel. _No_ holding back."

Simple and straight to the point. Thus, Danhauser had to use what would become his primary battle form.

It was going to be painful, but it was the only way.

"You wanna go all out against him? That's a bit of an overkill, don't ya think?" Tobio said, not that he didn't mind, though, "Don't you want to listen to his evil speeches? Heard they were very … hey, are you alright?"

"Master," Siegfried called out worriedly once he noticed his king gripping tightly his stomach, "What's wrong?"

Bova even looked disturbed by this.

Jeanne and Valerie tried to reach out for him once he lurched forward and sunk to his knees, but froze once Danhauser flashed them a quivering thumbs-up. They noticed how one of his eyes was losing its greyish color by turning vast white. There was also black viscosity dripping down from the side of his head to the ground.

Danhauser peered down at his wrist, watching his veins bulging, trembling and changing to pitch black — even the ones located in his neck started to curve outward.

Nausea clawed in his throat, but he still managed to give them a reassuring, shaky nod, "J-just... give me some space," instinctively, his body tried to force down the bile, but it was too late. Spurns of black liquid spewed out of his coughing, choking mouth and rather than splashing over the grass, it completely enveloped his entire form — becoming shrouded in Pitch Resin.

Tobio covered his mouth in revulsion as he witnessed the Pitch Resin altering Danhauser's body. His muscles grew considerably, eldritch markings marred the entity's figure in the shape of bright lines that simply twined themselves around him. The eldritch abomination calmly picked himself up, his white eyes that lacked pupils shined bright in the shape of solid discs. An immensely dense, gray Touki enveloped around him — enhancing the menacing aura he already exuded.

"True Form…" Valerie answered everyone's doubts.

"AMAZING!" Bova had lost control of his own tail as it wagged violently behind him, "I can feel your aura! Damn strong!"

The Dhampir had to roll her eyes once her shock left, "A good way to reveal our location."

Jeanne curiously poked his arm and gasped when her finger sank deeper than she'd expected it would. She quickly withdrew with a string of resin connected between them, "Ewwww!"

Danhauser chuckled at her antics. Even his voice changed to a demonic tune that suited his actual appearance, **"My bad, cutie. Had to warn you."**

"Back then, you could only turn half your arm," Siegfried gestured to his whole body repeatedly, "… Look at you now, master. Your training totally bore fruits."

"Even so, is that the process you must go to trigger your True Form?" Valerie flinched once she recalled the transformation from beginning to end,"… It looked like it hurt."

"It's also fucking disgusting," Tobio dropped his two cents.

Danhauser gave a crooked smile, **"First days were awful, but I slowly got used to it."**

"Bullshit man, you were twisting in the ground seconds ago." Tobio said, "Quick question. Didn't you had the Worthlessness version of True Form?" he recalled and punched his shoulder playfully, immediately regretting his decision, "… o-or you have two True Forms now…?"

 **"… I guess so?"** Danhauser replied hesitantly, ignoring his mutated knight trying to retrieve his fist back, **"True Form is a damn mystery. There are more questions than answers about its existence."**

Tobio cursed after seeing the state of his freed hand and wiped it off on the nearest tree.

Jin/Lycaon stared intently at the forehead of Danhauser. It appears no one could sense the well of energy specifically located in his temple — not even Danhauser. In fact, it was the same energy that he'd used against him four years ago. It was life-force. _Senjutsu_.

What made the Inugami wary was that, whatever was on his temple, it was staring back at him. But nothing was there.

It was difficult to put in words.

Danhauser clapped loudly to become the center of attention, **"Enough chatting, let's get moving! I'd rather finish this ASAP."**

"What about us?" Bova whined a little.

 **"You'll stay here with Jeanne and Valerie,"** Danhauser met the disappointing stare of the dragon, **"Trust me. There's a huge chance that people will come here."**

"Ah, yes those exorcists…" Valerie almost bared her fangs at the reminder, "yes, we'll keep them away from you."

 **"… Valerie,"** Danhauser called out softly, but his distorted voice made it quite difficult, **"Please, don't do anything reckless."**

The woman in question bit her lower lip and quickly averted her gaze to anything but her king. Even if she didn't reply, Danhauser knew she would comply.

"Is that a good idea, master?" Siegfried asked, worried, "Wouldn't fighting worsen your relationship with the Churches?"

"Wouldn't that cause a war, too?" Tobio quickly added.

 **"They despise me already, what gives?"** Danhauser shrugged idly, **"It won't trigger a war, thankfully. If it's possible, You don't go hard on them, just make sure they don't run pass you… You're in charge, Jeanne."**

Jeanne pounded her chest twice and flashed a piece sign, "I got your back, my homie."

Siegfried clicked his tongue, "If we were to fail, Kokabiel would destroy the town, slay all of us and restart the Great War."

 **[If.]** Lycaon spoke, startling everyone.

 **"You rarely talk, don't you?"** even if he wasn't looking at him, Tobio could feel the fearless smirk of his king, **"Start chanting,** _ **Slash Dog."**_

With a two-finger salute, Tobio dropped to his knees and the shadows from their surroundings shuddered at their master's will.

He bellowed.

[Behowlest the slaying of one thousand mortals!]

.

* * *

.

For the Exorcists to reach their destination wasn't difficult at all. With the immense demonic power that was released in the environment minutes ago, they had explicit guidance in the direction in which they should be moving. Still, even though they'd managed to make further progress, three, strong figures were impeding any passage.

"Ehehehe… what is this?" Valerie eyed them with a perturbating look, "Were you rats looking for cheese, but found us instead?"

The Exorcists narrowed their eyes perilously.

Jeanne shot the pawn a hard look, "Just for once, try to not insult them, please."

"And how would I manage that?"

"How about being nice!" Jeanne hissed back.

"Oh, fine…" Valerie cleared her throat and smiled 'sweetly'. She waved her arm at the exorcists in attempts to drive them away, "Shoo~! Run along and play~!… or whatever."

"You are very beautiful, but you always have this negative and judgmental look on your face," Jeanne sighed, "With the awful past you had, I think you'd be much better off smiling more."

"It's just who I am…" Valerie huffed vaguely and awkwardly toyed with her pigtail, "There's nothing I can do, it's the way I react to strangers. An instinct. I was, after all, a broken shell locked in a dungeon."

"But is it difficult to give a genuine smile? I've seen you do it in the bar, it really suits you."

"Of course, she won't give them a genuine smile," Bova grinned at the Dhampir. "None of them are Bosshauser."

"Shut your hole, overgrown lizard!"

 _"Heh_ -heh- _heh!"_

"We won't take our leave," Xenovia interrupted their conversation, "not until we finish our quest."

Regaining her cool, Valerie clicked her tongue at their unyielding attitude, "My master told you, didn't he? This is our case now. We won't let you come any nearer than this."

"Out of the way!"

Xenovia and Irina looked behind their shoulders to see a familiar face filled with nothing but rage.

"Oh, _joy,"_ Valerie rolled her eyes, "More unpleasant guests. How exciting..."

"It's you, the knight of Gremory," Xenovia regarded him with a scowl while unwrapping her Excalibur fragment, "… the one who's close to becoming a stray. Are you here for a rematch?"

"I'm not here for you two!" the frustration could be noted from the blond, and turned to the fellow, Reincarnated Devils, "… I don't know who you three are and I don't have time for introductions. Move out of my way, this is something I must do."

Bova stared a long second, "No."

Oh _that does it!_ Yuuto grounded his teeth and invoked one of his swords, "You three are wasting precious time already! Get out of the way!"

"You're only shooting yourself in the foot, Knight of Gremory," Xenovia shook her head disapprovingly, "You diverted from your master for your own selfish desire… you truly loathe those holy swords, don't you?"

"You wouldn't understand…!" Yuuto gripped tightly his weapon, "I'll never forget it… I vowed to avenge those who died in the Holy Sword Project!"

Jeanne's breath hitched, "Don't tell me… you're… you're one of the two survivors?"

She heard from the unfortunate gossips from Vasco Strada. Orphans who were taken from the Church were chosen to partake in the Holy Sword Project which was supervised by Valper Galilei — the man Danhauser was about to hunt down.

Children who weren't capable of wielding a holy sword were targeted for extermination; they were gassed. From what Vasco had told her, a girl survived because of her Sacred Gear which created a barrier around her. To this day, researchers were trying to figure out methods to deactivate her Sacred Gear and grant her the normal life that she would cherish for the rest of her life.

Her name's Tosca.

The other survivor was reported as MIA — his body was missing during the investigation.

"Isaiah," she stared at the missing boy with wide eyes, "you were here this whole time…"

Yuuto's stance stiffened, "How… how do you know my real name?" he finally decided to look at the blonde dead in the eye. "How?"

By looking at her face alone, his mind was flooded by many memories.

Despite lacking the opportunity to meet her in person in the past — he had heard of her multiple tales of her.

A former saint known by her kind-hearted nature and who'd visited many church facilities to guide the orphans in the right way.

And her Sacred Gear.

Blade Blacksmith.

Forger of Holy Swords.

Holy swords.

From deep inside his chest came a great shaking motion and his face muscles grew tight. He chuckled dryly, "What a small world we live in…"

Jeanne's body tensed up, "What?"

"You're still going to fight, knight of Gremory?" the blue-haired exorcist laughed to herself, "Funny how we dug ourselves in a hole, too. Fine — it can't be helped. We'll help you out."

Yuuto just glared at her direction, "Don't get in my way."

"I refuse. We can't leave this town without at least retrieving an Excalibur fragment — our higher-ups made that clear. We don't mind if you want to destroy one or two, though."

Yuuto said nothing.

"Xenovia, wait!" Irina intervened and eyed Yuuto cautiously, "A-are we going to team up with an eventual stray devil of all things…?"

"We're not going to fight with a stray devil — we're going to fight with a fellow swordsman," Xenovia retorted.

"That doesn't even make sense!"

"Ah, why the Protestant Church has to always whine about everything?"

"Hey! Don't look down on my teachings, you idiot!"

"Then hurry up. We must swing our swords once again."

"Geez! Your beliefs are weird!" Nonetheless, Irina reluctantly turned the string tied in her arm into a katana. She had a distraught expression, "I-I can't believe we're doing this… w-we're disobeying orders, you know that?"

"It could be dangerous if the Excalibur fragments fell in the hands of the cadre or Danhauser Belial himself. Yet, our superiors warned us to avoid confrontation with the Devils... have we failed this mission from the beginning?" Xenovia observed the dragon keenly, weighing her options. She threateningly pointed the sharp end of her Excalibur, "… This must be a trial from the Lord. Maybe, once I had slain you, I'll become like Saint George."

To her surprise, the small dragon drastically increased his size, forcing her to take a step back — but not lower her holy sword. Truly, the biggest enemy she had ever encountered.

For Dulio, this would be another Tuesday.

Puffs of smoke fled from Bova's nostrils as he snorted, "Think you're a dragon slayer? Come here and try, bitch."

Things didn't go as Jeanne planned them to. She wanted to sort it out through talking instead of fighting to stall time for her master and the two knights... but everything went downhill.

"… You think my master has any interest in your broken toys? Don't make me laugh."

Jeanne felt the cold atmosphere radiating from Valerie's beauty, "My master offered kindly to work as a team and you two slapped his hand away…! Yet, here you two are, allying yourselves with a soon-to-be Stray Devil of all things — a _traitor_. Hey, Exorcist, why did you refuse? Why? Why did you refuse? Grasping straws or his previous deeds made you resentful of my master?"

Irina bit her lip and took a slow step back, katana in hand, "I—!"

"I should make you pay for delivering this insult," she gave Irina as venomous a look as she'd ever seen in her life as an exorcist, "For insulting _him_ …! but he told me to not be reckless… I wouldn't forgive myself if I disobeyed him."

Irina gulped and took a fighting stance — a trail of sweat gliding from her temple.

"Your body… made out of pure steel — just like mine," Jeanne faced Yuuto, the blond locks covered the unstable glint emitting from his blue eyes, "but capable of creating thousands of holy blades..."

"Isaiah, _please_. I don't want to fight you!"

"I'm deeply sorry, but I have to do this!" Yuuto proclaimed and looked up with a new drive of determination, "I will not miss this chance!"

In an instant, he was surrounded by multiple, ugly swords that were thrumming with demonic energy — befitting for a reincarnated devil.

"Fate had us meet as foes — Joan of Arc," Yuuto swapped swords with a fresh one, "I will not fight as Kiba Yuuto, knight of Rias Gremory — but as Isaiah, survivor of the Holy Sword Project."

"… Rage and vengeance burned away all that was good in you, Isaiah," Jeanne's words, gaze, and facial expression suddenly turned sharp, no longer was she the kind girl of seconds ago, "If words won't make you listen, then I have no choice but to beat some sense into you."

She brought her hand up that emitted a warm light which slowly grew into a staff with a pointed end. The light died down to reveal a banner in her grasp.

The battle standard of the real Holy Saint back when she'd fought in the Hundred Years' War side by side with Gilles de Rais.

"This does it," Blade Blacksmith forged her a sword in her other hand, dual-wielding, "I won't pull back any punches! I will face you as if I am facing a Seraph!"

.

* * *

.

Kokabiel had felt it. The immense demonic energy that had exploded and meddled with the environment. It came somewhere from the endless forest. It was near. So, so near.

Faster than he'd expected in fact. That was good news, he was getting worried over nothing. He thought he had to wait for days before the Devils in this town were to take matters in their hands and try to defeat him. How boring would it be if that was the case.

This boy, 'Danhauser Belial' was pretty well-known by the cadres. Mostly because of his feats four years back, stopping the Utsusemi Agency led by Hanezu Himejima and the Wizards of Oz, aka Hexennacht, which was led by the Second Generation Witch of the East Augusta before dying in the hands of Danhauser and the White Dragon Emperor.

And how could he forget Danhauser was on the radar of his former co-worker, Satanael?

The cadre looked up and glared at the unconscious nun in the cross, fingers digging deep in his palms. How insulting. To work alongside a Devil whom were the ones behind of their massive losses in their main forces? Unforgivable.

Kokabiel wouldn't sit with his arms folded and watch the paint dry, he had to take action and fast.

Imagine the surprise he had written in his face the moment he'd found out the Governor-General sent some low-class Fallen Angels to Kuoh Town to transfer a former nun of the Vatican and recollect a document for Azazel — said document held confidential information of the Old Satan Faction.

Truly, this Ingvild Leviathan was something else. Grigori had someone like her in the ranks — a male version of a different Maou bloodline and empowered by a Dragon.

Typical low-class Fallen Angels, they'd rather sacrifice someone else to save their necks than die with honor for their faction. All it took was to tower of them and release a bit of his power to make them spill the beans — they'd stuttered each word they'd croaked out, much to his annoyance.

They were easy to convince — it made him wonder how they were still alive at this point.

One day they would be the extinction of Grigori organization as a whole.

"How are the Excaliburs holding up, Valper?"

…

…

…

"Valper?"

No reply.

Kokabiel chuckled knowingly, "So, they're already here? Quicker than I expected, but it doesn't —!"

His speech was cut off as a silver-colored blur shortened distances, in which Kokabiel had to create a sword of light to parry the swing. The Fallen Angel kept his foe's blade locked with his and stare at his adversary menacingly — the latter kindly returned the gaze.

"You almost got me," Kokabiel complimented and pushed against the clinch, trying to knock the other off balance, "Almost. You have potential, but you alone aren't enough to defeat me!"

Kokabiel was surprised when the swordsman laughed heartily despite his struggles to keep his ground, "Good thing I'm not alone."

From Siegfried's shadow, a werewolf jumped out with a scythe.

Kokabiel moved out of the way. While narrowly dodging the killing blow, his arm wasn't so fortunate as it flopped to the ground. The silver-haired swordsman rocketed forward, his opponent quickly unfurling his ten to fly and deflect the demonic sword before ducking in closer with his preferred sword of light.

The Fallen Angel never had the luck to avenge his missing arm when shadows from their surroundings began to rise, turning into bastardly swords and clashing with the cadre's golden radiance head-on. Kokabiel's wings brought out a bombardment of light spears and black feathers to the shadows — dispersing them.

Building some distance, Kokabiel held his fresh wound and shot a dirty look over his shoulder, "So it is true…! You answer for someone else aside from Azazel, Slash Dog?!"

The King of Wolves never replied to the snarl and readied his weapon, a dangerous glint honing those red eyes. He soon disappeared from sight by diving into the shadows.

Kokabiel never had the chance to question his motives when a pitch-black fist surrounded by light-blue flames came out flying from the entrance of the church to the center of his chest, crashing through an old pillar of the abandoned church. Kokabiel managed to stop his flight and brace himself for the next attack.

He was alone — even the nun wasn't in the cross!

He quickly tilted his head just in time to dodge another pitch-black of resin covered in those blue flames. Expecting to hear the impact on the wall behind him, the fist merely changed its trajectory and started to go after him again, only to be avoided once again.

And the cycle continued.

Up. Down. Left. Right. Up. Right. Left. Down. Whenever he evaded the clenched fist, it would sharply turn after him like a stubborn python, akin to a homing missile. Sometimes it would go around a pillar to track him down. It moved at impossible angles in order to reach its target. It became troublesome to follow with his eyes as it kept building up momentum.

As predicted, it struck Kokabiel at the back of his neck, piercing the wall of the ancient chapel and thrown straight to the forest. Even after being forcefully launched out of the shrine, Kokabiel managed to hold his own ground by stabbing his sword on the dirt to slow down his speed.

Not only his muscles felt the damage — but his _spirit_ as well.

 _"That was a fist of resin,"_ Kokabiel massaged his bruise on the chest after the halt, _"No doubt about it. The only Devils I know that manipulates resin is the Malebranche Clan… could it be?"_

He looked up when the noise of collapsing trees alarmed his long ears. He was surprised and excited to see that rapidly spinning toward him by tumbling nearby trees and crushing unfortunate bushes was his opponent in a wheel-like shape of pitch resin. After savoring the demonic power being released by his approaching foe, he surmised that this wasn't Malacoda Malebranche. While strong in his own right, he wasn't on par with Malacoda. The second-ranked exceed the Satan-class power in his True Form — if Azazel's experience was concrete.

In his cackle the mania could be heard quite well, already figuring out who he was fighting, "You finally show your face, brother of the Emperor?!" Kokabiel generated countless light spears and shoot them like arrows, "I accept your challenge!"

Still in the shape of a wheel, Danhauser leaped into the air to dodge the light spears and morphed back to his humanoid form and, abusing the speed from the spinning, slammed his _overgrown_ pitch-resin forearm, covered in spikes and hardened by Touki into his opponent with tremendous force that even if Kokabiel had managed on blocking it with his ten wings, he was sent crashing into a row of trees — said trees had the gall to fall atop of him.

Even so, merely dodging the light attacks gave Danhauser an immense headache.

It hurt. _So badly._

Danhauser didn't pause to massage his head, his shoulders bubbled until they created two cannons made of pure resin. He charged his cannons with Senjutsu, took aim over the laughing Fallen Angel and fired. From the tip of his shoulder cannons — rather than laser beams — bursts of beautiful flames of light-blue were released after his downed opponent — devouring him.

The power of Sage Arts pained the cadre greatly, but his tenacity and pride refused to show it. The trunks above him were flung away once Kokabiel blitzed after the Devil, easily ducking the flamethrower — he augmented his speed by flapping his ten wings. He changed his mind and quickly shot off to the skies when Danhauser's shadow distorted into sharp ends that lunged after him.

He showered the looming shadows with spears of light with no trouble. Everything went south when a surging wave of dark, red blood that came from the battlefield below swallowed him whole — followed by a familiar scent of powerful light-blue flames. He screamed in pain after being exposed to demonic power and Senjutsu. His fall was imminent, his crash into the ground had created a thick, cloud of dust — making it complicated to see the expected results.

Danhauser saw as the werewolf from before leaped out of his shadow, **"About time you showed up,"** he grunted, dismissing his shoulder cannons, **"What took you so long?"**

 **"Sorry boss,"** the voice of Tobio and Lycaon responded in unison, they were one, **"I'd rather prowl into shadows and end it with one hit than rushing into the fray, you know?"**

"At least we weakened him," their heads spun when Siegfried joined them, Gram resting on his shoulder with red lightning flickering over its wicked blade, "We've dealt critical damage over him."

 **"How's Asia?"** Danhauser promptly asked.

"The nun? She's unconscious, but alright," Siegfried assured him, "Valper Galilei is out of cold as well, tied up."

Their attention went back over the wounded cadre who'd dispersed the cloud of dust by a weak, single flap of his multiple wings. His clothes were ragged and he was bleeding profusely by being showered by Gram's demonic energy. Those were the least of his problems, one of his arms was gone, leaving a stump in exchange of one of his arms and his spirit was suffering after being drowned by Senjutsu.

With a snarl, Kokabiel shakily thundered his fingers, and nothing happened. He repeated the same motion over and over again to only feel jolts of pain in response. Not from his grievous muscles, but from his severed spirit.

Why.

How?

Impossible.

This shouldn't happen.

HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?!

He stared at his hand with betrayal and then focused over his three opponents — mostly over the Pitch-Resin humanoid — the remaining blood in his system fired up. As if God of the Bible taking his grace wasn't enough already! That bastard had to steal the last thing he had — his great pride and joy.

"My light… is gone," Kokabiel swallowed the hard truth as he spat out, "… completely gone. This wasn't your Clan Trait that temporarily renders powers into 'worthless'… this is something much, _much_ worse…. What have you done!?"

Danhauser merely enveloped his whole, viscous body in Touki, **"Let's get this over with."**

His knights in response readied their weapons.

Kokabiel clamped his fingers into white-knuckled vise-grips and bared his teeth at them, "You won't answer?! Fine then! Take that secret of yours to the grave!" He thrashed his pitch-black wings, pelting them with handful after handful of feathers to defeat his adversaries.

Only Siegfried moved out of the way while the feathers _passed_ through Tobio and the rest _sunk_ into Danhauser's body like it was quicksand — half-absorbed, half-pulled.

 **"You can have them back!"** Danhauser turned his entire forearm into a Gatling-gun and shot back the feathers twice as fast — almost burning with the air of friction. The Fallen Angel growled and shielded his body with his ten wings. Most of the feathers bounced off, while a few either slashed or pierced his fatigued body.

Siegfried had leaped forward — red lightning chirping in his sword. Gram carved right through his wings, demonic energy disrupting the weakened muscles of the cadre, and cut a pair of them. Kokabiel just roared, but before he could counterattack, the ground beneath him transformed into Pitch Resin, stirred up and twisted around him, entangling him into a coffin-like of resin — only leaving his head exposed.

Kokabiel tried to break free from his sticky prison, only his head could react at his desperate behavior. A fist of resin empowered by Touki in the face was all it took to knock his lights out.

All the tension accumulated in his shoulders dissipated once he deactivated his True Form. He dropped on the grass afterward with a content sigh, "Holy crap. We did it."

"I told you didn't I?" Tobio had turned back to his human form and ruffled Jin's fur, "We got this easily."

"I was kind of nervous," Danhauser admitted, hand over his heart, "… It seems that when I'm in my True Form, light-based attacks are more effective on me."

"What? How do you know? Got hit by one?"

"I dodged them all, but just by being near them gave me all the damn headaches," Danhauser massaged his head once his mind repeated the scene.

"Well… True form is the physical manifestation of the spirit or the Clan Trait, right?" Tobio didn't know what he was saying at this point, he was babbling what he had in mind, "… it was a matter of fact the damage would be doubled because your spirit is exposed to the light and… I don't even know."

"Maybe you're right, who knows?" Whether Tobio was right or not, this fight would serve as a great lesson to be careful against anyone who had abilities with light or holy powers — such as Angels and Fallen Angels. Even wielders of Holy Swords were a big threat.

"What's next, Master?" Siegfried asked.

Danhauser collapsed and threw his hands behind his neck, "Send Azazel our coordinates and tell him to next time put a damn leash on Kokabiel."

"There's not going to be another next time after the stunt he dropped," Slash Dog chuckled half-heartedly, formulating a magic circle near his ear, "The son of a bitch won a free pass to the depths of Cocytus."

"Speaking of son of bitches, I should check on Valper," Siegfried adjusted his white gloves, "the last thing we need is a murderer like him making a run. As well as see if the nun has awakened yet and made sure the Excaliburs are intact. May I, master?"

Danhauser gave a thumbs up from his position and Siegfried vanished instantly from sight. He had planned to lay on the grass and watch the endless sky filled with stars until either Vali or someone else came to pick up the warmonger cadre.

But his other peerage members were most likely in the middle of a fight. He believed they had this under control, but still — it wouldn't hurt to take a quick peek.

He groaned a little and stood up, "Tobio, think you can watch over Kokabiel with Jin? I'll see what's up with the rest of our teammates."

"You do that, boss."

.

* * *

.

Yuuto always thought that the only reincarnated devil capable of surpassing his swordsmanship was his teacher — Souji Okita. A monster he swore one day he would defeat to make his master proud. It wasn't a bad goal. In fact, the thought alone had made Yuuto do better in his training in hopes to become the Souji Okita of this generation.

Joan of Arc was proof that there was always a bigger fish.

To say Yuuto was stunned to find out that he was being pushed back by Joan of Arc in his domain was an understatement.

Not only did she know how to handle a blade, but she could keep up with his speed.

His mind was clouded with wrath, but a part of his consciousness pondered. How come someone like her who was impressive with the sword managed to keep her skills in the dark? Away from society? Ewald Cristaldi and Vasco Strada were famous swordsmen whose names and skills reached other continents — even the Gods.

Not implying that she's on par with them, but… who taught her?

Scratch that, why was she a reincarnated devil of all things?! Wasn't she a saint of the Vatican? Nothing makes sense anymore!

She was a Rook now. That much he could guess. The fact that she could swing that large banner effortlessly and with a single arm was a nod to his statement. Adding the fact that some of her attacks could distort the wind with only sheer strength alone.

Even if she was reincarnated by a Rook piece, she could somehow match his speed — he, who was reincarnated with a Knight piece under the service of Clan Gremory.

Taking faltering breaths, Yuuto spared his companions a quick glance. They were also cornered.

The blue-haired Exorcist — Xenovia — had an arm wrapped over her stomach while stabilizing her posture by leaning in her Excalibur fragment. She was panting heavily too. Regardless of her fatal condition, the fire in her eyes never faded away.

The Dragon was unfazed, not a single gash in those purple scales, "Your toothpick won't hurt me. While I'm a Devil, I'm a Dragon, too. You should be in awe."

The orange-haired Exorcist was in deeper trouble to the point that she even lost the will of her body. Literally. Irina's foe had stretched her own shadow to merge it with Irina's shadow. The only movements Irina were able to make were those that the blonde-haired girl makes. Irina became her puppet. Or how that creepy girl preferred to call it — her plaything.

Tendrils of darkness emerged from Irina's shadows and wrapped around her limbs, forcing her to drop down.

"S-stop…!" Irina could only control the muscles of her mouth — but pleas weren't enough to make the cynical Dhampir change her mind, "… please…!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Valerie declined her pleas, using a tendril to pick up the dropped Excalibur and toss it close to her feet, "Not until my master is done."

She was fighting a Dhampir, no doubt about it. Vampires didn't have shadows — but Dhampirs did.

Yuuto shook his head and focused on his shorter adversary. The former saint hadn't moved an inch from her spot, a hand gripped her banner while the other carried a holy sword — waiting for him to make a move. He bared his teeth and pushed onward, and steel clashed with force enough to sever a limb. For each collision of their swords — a rain of sparks soon followed after.

Joan of Arc brought her banner upwards and slammed it down like a hammer headbutting an anvil. Yuuto dodged the attack, but the shockwave and winds generated by it pushed him away, breaking his posture. The blonde girl quickly shortened distances and thrust her banner forward. Forced to be on the defensive and lacking time to dodge, Yuuto had to generate another sword and cross both blades for the collide. And to be expected, his demonic swords shattered like glass after absorbing the impact.

He created another one.

It shattered.

He created another one.

It shattered, too.

Another.

Broken.

But her holy sword didn't. Not a single chip of holy steel on the ground.

If he couldn't break a _fake_ Holy Sword, how could he break a _fragment_ of Excalibur?!

"Why won't you break?!" Yuuto roared out and forged another weapon, one whose main attribute was great durability, and parried her upcoming swing — he could feel the power behind the attack quivering his legs. Their swords wrestled. Holy and Demonic grinding one another for dominance — even a visible glow could be seen on their respective blades.

She doubled the strength in her arm, forcing Yuuto to kneel, "You need to understand that the one at fault isn't the sword, but the hand that wields it. A holy sword wasn't even the cause that killed all those poor children, to begin with. They were all poisoned."

"I don't want to hear any words coming from you!"

The two fighters pushed against each other until the former saint forced Isaiah's sword aside and made an opening. She delivered a crushing riposte, thrusting with the sharp tip of her banner towards his leg. She delivered a devastating kick to his midriff — freeing her standard and watching as the knight impacted into a tree.

Yuuto rose unsteadily to his feet, it was against his legs' will to be moving now that he was deeply bruised and poisoned by holy energy, but a part of him was still prone to fight until his body dissolved away. Call it stubbornness, vengeance or adrenaline rush — Yuuto didn't care which was the main factor. All that mattered was making sure this lingering goal would linger no longer.

"You're passing through a sense of deep guilt that came from surviving," Jeanne kept her gaze trained over his shaky figure, "You blame yourself. You wish you could travel back in time and prevent all the havoc… I can relate to that."

Oh boy, he had the accurate words to retaliate on her — but what he'd lacked was the competence and stamina to do so. All unwisely spent on creating a disgusting sword and limping tediously in her direction. Shallow breaths, cold sweat, and blurry vision. The holy energy traveling in his veins was already making effects… and he still carried on.

They stood face to face, Yuuto shakily brought his sword upwards and Jeanne did nothing in return — following his actions fixedly. In the end, the leftover embers blazing within him burned out and his eyes rolled at the back of his skull. It didn't take a genius to figure out what happened next.

Jeanne heaved a sigh as her banner and sword vanished. The fight was one-sided and they both knew it. The end of this duel would end in her favor.

Her gaze settled over the defeated fighter — pity and remorse fluttering her stomach. This match didn't feel like an achievement worthy of a party — even less to remember. It was worthless. A waste of time. This wasn't the results she was anticipating.

"Valerie," Jeanne's heart skipped a beat once she felt a pair of hands softly rubbing her shoulders. She looked behind once she'd recognized the familiar voice of her king, "Heal the boy and let the girl go."

The Dhampir pursed her lips as she nodded, stretching her shadows over the unconscious boy while freeing her captive from her prison.

Irina sighed with relief and massaged her wrists, muttering prayers and gratitude — whether it was directed for the Biblical God or Danhauser remained a mystery.

Without breaking apart from Jeanne, Danhauser gestured Xenovia with his chin, "It's finished. Kokabiel has been taken care off and the Excalibur fragments are safe. Valper is in there, too, all tied-up."

Xenovia's eyes grew wide, "You… defeated the cadre?"

"We. My peerage, like always, helped me out," Danhauser retorted, "The Excaliburs are in the abandoned church. If you want them — you're free to retrieve them."

"… In exchange for what?"

"In exchange, I want you, your friend, and Gabriel to join my harem," Danhauser rolled his eyes at her wariness, "I said 'you're free to retrieve them' didn't I?"

Xenovia gave a slow nod.

"Then get moving," Danhauser brought pressure on them, "Unless I should keep them for myself? They would make a _fine_ addition to my collection..."

Regardless of the serious tension, Jeanne had to giggle quietly at her master's choice of words. "That was awful, Dan."

He winked down at her, "At least I made you smile."

Xenovia and Irina were quick to obey, but before they could walk pass Danhauser and Jeanne, he stopped them by placing a firm hand on their shoulders, "Once done, you two will come with me, understood?"

Irina and Xenovia exchanged glances. Could they listen? Then they quickly looked over him and slowly nodded before their second thoughts got the better of them. They had already noted that he wasn't someone who would take a no as an answer.

He left them go after witnessing their reluctant responses, no bringing up any arguments. Once they were out of sight, he focused on his peerage members, "Are you three alright?"

"We're fine," Bova folded his arms and blew smoke from his nose, "… just bored. I wished they could keep up with us, keep my blood pumping."

Danhauser chuckled, "One day, big boy."

"What about you?" Valerie shifted closer and orbed around him like a shark, trying to spot the smallest wound on his body, "… no damage left in you I hope?"

"Just a little exhausted," Danhauser rolled the numbness of his shoulder away, "… and a headache. Other than that, I'm all good. No broken bones and no bleeding."

"What now?" Jeanne asked.

"Now we wait until Azazel sends someone to pick up Kokabiel," Danhauser's eyes roamed over the unconscious boy, "… then we'll have to deliver Rias' cute servant."

Valerie folded her arms, "What of the exorcists? Are you going to let them go like that? Without any punishment?"

Danhauser raised an eyebrow, "I think the fight they had with you three was a good punishment. "

"It wasn't enough. They… they deserved more for how the acted back in your office…"

He placed a hand on his hip, eyes narrowed, "So they _did_ say something bad at you too."

"They did, but nothing that could offend me, but you…" she hugged herself, averting her gaze, "W-what frustrates me is seeing people blaming you with blatant lies… all you did was protect your family and nothing else."

…

"… It's more than that," Danhauser finally reached out for Yuuto and placed him on his shoulder, "Azazel may take his sweet time on retrieving Kokabiel for good… let's go to the abandoned church."

Jeanne pursed her lips, hesitant, "Isn't there where Xenovia and Irina are heading?"

"So what?" Bova scoffed, turning back into his Chibi Dragon, "We can take them out easily."

"Bova's right, they're not a threat anymore," Danhauser assured her, "Siegfried is keeping an eye on Asia Argento in the church, hence I want to go there… I want to take her and Yuuto to the school infirmary."

Jeanne nodded and hugged Bova close to her — the dragon didn't offer any resistance, "An idea I can get behind. I'll follow you, Dan."

"Once I have them both, you and Bova will follow Siegfried, he'll take you where Tobio is," Danhauser smiled at the grumpy Dhampir, "You and me will head back to Kuoh Academy, where you can pay Gasper a visit."

All bitterness wrinkled on her face was easily washed off by excitement.

Danhauser just knew which buttons he had to press.

.

* * *

.

The walk back to Kuoh Academy was awkward, mostly because Valerie hadn't faded her resentful glare over their companions, the Exorcist Duo. The tenseness had increased tenfold because the aura that emitted from the Excalibur fragments that were held by the warriors of the Vatican. Just as how Valerie felt threatened by the holy swords, Irina felt threatened by the hard gaze.

After entering the gates of Kuoh Academy, Danhauser first went to his office to give a report to the leaders of the Underworld via magic circles. The Ouroboros snake that the Old Satan Faction gave to him plus the invasion that Kokabiel had waged made each leader of the Biblical Faction put an end to this.

A peace treaty was coming. Danhauser was both relieved and happy to hear the relieving news from Ajuka.

With nothing else to add, he guided the girls to the infirmary room, once again submerged in cold silence. Xenovia wasn't affected by Valerie's stare, but Irina was a different story — especially when she was the one who had a taste of Valerie's capabilities and powers over shadows.

Of course, all that cold and hostile aura that encased around Valerie had dismissed once she'd spotted her childhood friend inside the infirmary room — Gasper. The two hybrids never had wasted any bated breath to embrace one another after being separated for years.

Gasper was wearing a paper bag, too.

Danhauser chuckled as he pictured the crocodile tears dripping inside Gasper's paper bag. The mutated Bishop sat on Valerie's legs, hugging her tightly and crying all his emotions out.

"Aww, right away you turned into such a baby," Valerie cooed, sitting on the infirmary bed while taking off his paper mask, "… but it suits you. You look cute when you're sad."

"I-I've missed you so muuuuuch….!"

"I've missed you too, you crybaby."

 _ **[Ah, so this is where a portion of my power and consciousness went,]**_ Valerie heard its drowsy voice echoing in her head, _**[Hmm-hmm-hmm. Indeed, he is I and I am he.]**_

Valerie's instincts were set ablaze, "Leave Gasper out of this!"

 _ **[Of course, you defend**_ **him** _._ _ **But it's futile. We are one now, two minds sharing one body.]**_

Her teeth clenched once it finally left. Whenever _it_ wanted, it stuck to her like glue. The only days she was spared from its unwelcomed presence was whenever she was asleep or nothing interesting developed during the day to pique the eldritch abomination's interest.

It was identical as being in a prison, and that _thing_ being her warden when it should be the other way around. After all, she was the inheritor of the Sephiroth Graal — granting her governorship over the Secluded World and the spirits locked within the grail — who were waiting to be judge and being sent whether in hell or heaven.

That was the supposed responsibility whom anyone possessed the Sephiroth Graal. A duty she never wanted — but destiny couldn't care less for her wishes.

But rules changed now that it began taking an active role by devouring the crying souls dwelling within the Secluded World. At least she hadn't seen the dead from the other world.

From the other side, Rias, Koneko and Issei were keeping a sleeping Yuuto company. The white-haired Nekomata had her lower lip quivering at the sight of her friend. Issei, on the other hand, looked troubled, he didn't know if to keep company over the Casanova or the nun. Sure as hell, whenever his brown eyes locked with Yuuto, a wave of rage dwelled within his chest.

"To think that this is where the former Holy Maiden disappeared," Xenovia noted as she studied the sleepy blonde girl, "… Kuoh Town is a bizarre place."

Danhauser felt a tap on his shoulder and glanced over the owner, "Something wrong?"

Sona brushed a few strands of her behind her ear, "… So, it is true? A meeting with the leaders of Grigori and Heaven will happen?"

"Absolutely," Danhauser said before sparing a look at Asia who'd laid unconscious in one of the many beds, "… Maou Beelzebub told me a meeting is being organized as we speak."

"Those… are actually shocking news," it was a first time when Danhauser had seen Sona this shocked, "Maybe this senseless war will be over now."

"Until then, let's just keep our fingers."

Without breaking away for her knight, Rias took a breath, collecting her thoughts, "All this happened in a single day. Vice-Principal, you really are fast dealing with all possible threats within the vicinity."

"Getting in the territory of my cousin just to bring trouble is not something I'll tolerate."

"Putting that aside, you have my thanks for rescuing my servant, Vice-Principal," Rias finally faced him a small smile, "I was getting nervous after the scene he made."

"Yes," Koneko bowed her head a little, "… Thank you, Vice-Principal."

"O-oh, yeah!" Issei grinned as he nodded with gratitude at the gray-haired Devil, "He's a handsome bastard, but sure as hell can act like an idiot most of the time! Thank you for bringing the sleeping beauty back and keeping Asia safe, Vice-Principal!"

Now, this is where Danhauser was curious. Yuuto didn't have this time the chance to destroy any of the Excalibur Fragments nor reconcile with the spirits of his long lost friend that were subjects of the Holy Sword Project. He believed he didn't see Jeanne's fight as a lesson to move on with life. In fact, he could be on another spree once he had awakened.

Danhauser replied once he'd felt Rias' patient stare, "Glad I could help… just make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

"What are Irina and I doing here, again?" Xenovia annexed herself in the conversation, "We have no reason to stay here."

"There's going to be a peace treaty," Danhauser kept them updated, " I was informed that the… Archangel will come up here to signing up the treaty between the Three Factions. You two will act as their bodyguards."

"I see."

"That's it?" Danhauser smirked daringly at the bluenette, "nothing against their decision?"

"… If they believe this is for the best for us then I'm fine with it," Xenovia gazed down at the floor, "I wonder why the Lord didn't come to the meeting rather than sending the Archangel?"

Danhauser remained silent.

"Don't be silly, Xenovia!" Irina playfully bonked her partner in the head, "He must be occupied spreading miracles and answering our prayers!"

"Ah, indeed," Xenovia glared at her partner's unwanted gesture, "His agenda must be quite full."

Sona once again gained his attention, "While it is impressive your peerage and you defeated a cadre, it would be wise to keep us informed. Next time, we'd love to help out in any way."

"No. You two will just get in the way."

Koneko frowned, somewhat offended.

Rias felt her fingers dug on her palms, "… Don't speak ill of our strength, please."

"Come on, Vice-Principal," Issei said, not wishing to disturb the man who'd saved both of his friends, "… President always makes us train each morning, you know? Maybe we're not as strong as you… but still… we can kick some ass, too…"

"I never spoke ill about your abilities," Danhauser retorted unbroken despite Rias' warning, "I just prefer keeping other people away from trouble and not carry any responsibility on my shoulders."

"Vice-Principal, we can take care of ourselves too. We're not damsels in distress," Sona pushed her glasses up, "You shouldn't overwork yourself, either. It sometimes makes us worry."

The disarming chuckle of Danhauser surprised them, "I expected Cleria saying this, but hearing this from you is hard to believe, Sona. I appreciate your concern, but you're not changing my mind."

Sona shook head in silent disagreement.

"Say, you two are ready for the Class Observation Day? You bet I am," Danhauser quickly tackled another topic, "… I bet you ladies are excited too."

The two heiresses paled in horror.

Issei's eyes widened out.

Danhauser laughed at their expected reactions, "What's with the faces? Aren't you two excited to see your family?"

"I can't believe you're not nervous," no matter how hard Sona tried to get inside his head, she'd found him impossible to relate with, "… are you not frightened that your family may embarrass you in front of so many people?"

"Obviously," Danhauser shrugged, "But they do it because they love me."

"I love my family as well but… I can't get in your shoes, Vice-Principal," Rias massaged her temple, "If I were to get publicly humiliated… I'd do anything for the ground to swallow me whole!"

"You girls are just overreacting."

[We're not!]

Xenovia blinked owlishly.

"Yes, you two are," Danhauser deadpanned at them, "Cleria literally teases me whenever the opportunity arises. Roygun, too. I'm still sane after living with them for years… I think."

"I almost forgot about it!" Issei finally escaped from his stupor, "Crap! I need to tell mom and dad! They'll get pissed if I don't!"

Danhauser smiled at his frightened state, "See? Even Hyoudou is looking forward to the event. You two could learn a page or two from him."

"Okay, fine," Rias licked her lips and folded her arms under her large breasts, "Can we at least be the ones leaving the message?"

"Yeah, nice try," Danhauser wasn't reincarnated yesterday to fall in the _cheapest_ trick ever, "Sorry, but that won't happen. I'll report it myself."

Speaking of reports, he needed to make one for Shalba as well to reveal him about the confirmed Peace Treaty. He preferred if someone of the Old Satan Faction disappeared from the map like in the Light Novels — even better, the three of them. If there was one thing Danhauser refused to change was achieving peace for the Biblical Faction.

"This is where I'll take my leave. I'm going to speak up with someone," he brushed a few strands of golden hair away from Asia's face before nodding at Valerie, "Are you coming? Or you're going to spend more time with Gasper?"

Valerie blinded him with a shy smile, embracing the trap tightly, "I'd love to stay more with Gasper."

"Hey, don't sweat it — Little Missus. I'll pick you up later then. Have fun," He then turned to Issei, "Can I entrust you with Asia?"

The brunet had to point himself to make sure the Vice-Principal was speaking to him. He finally flickered a thumbs-up with a toothy grin, "I won't disappoint you, Vice-Principal!"

Once Danhauser left the room, the redhead 's shoulder slumped, "… He's terrible. He really knows how uncomfortable our family can make us all the time and he still will let them come."

"… Some Vice-Principals just want to watch the world burn," Koneko said.

"Even so, there's nothing much we can do, he's in charge and above us — second only to the Principal," Sona said while paling whenever her mind created possible future events that involved her eccentric sister in public, "… All we can do now is stay strong, endure the whole day and wait for the worst to finish."

Irina watched carefully as Valerie pulled the cheeks of Gasper before saying, "You weren't holding back with your shadows, you know?" her throat clasped at the flashback, "… You almost broke me."

"I was about to do it, but I contained myself," Valerie said with a macabre smile, "I always wanted to witness how much a spine could bend until it split apart."

"O-oh y-yeah!" Irina forced a hearty laugh, sweating profusely, "I-I… sometimes think about it too..."

"Ehehehe…"

Irina spotted Xenovia reaching out for the exit, "Where are you going? Shouldn't we stay here?"

"You heard him, didn't you? We have to stay in Kuoh, not necessarily here in this room," Xenovia stated while unlocking the door, "While we're on this town, I'd like to see where you grew up, Irina."

Irina's eyes were sparkling at this point, she was _so_ sold already, "Oh! I wouldn't mind giving you a tour over Kuoh! Who knows? We may find new stuff as well!"

As the Exorcist duo opted to leave, Irina spun and winked at Issei, "We're lucky that a peace treaty is gonna happen, don't you think, Ise? We have to catch up one day, okay?"

"Yeah, sure," Issei mumbled, "Dad and mom would like to hear your tales, too."

"Then it's decided! See ya, Ise!"

Issei could only clumsily wave at her childhood friend, the one he'd believed was a boy. She even played and acted like a boy. Time surely changed people physically and mentally —her boobs were a nod to his statement.

"Aside from the Class Observation Day and the Peace Treaty, the Underworld is preparing the Young Devil Gathering," Rias eyed her childhood friend questioningly, "Do you have anything useful to counter Vice-Principal?"

"Is he admitted to the Youth Devil Gathering in the first place?" Sona questioned, "Clan Belial is a Lesser King if my memory serves me right. Lesser Housecarls can't be invited to the ceremony."

"Let's imagine he is. Do you have anything?"

Sona slowly shook her head, "I… don't have much," her pointed gaze darted over Valerie toying with Gasper in the background, "… I have cramped clues from the fight he had against Raiser four years ago… which, technically, is still useless as the Vice-Principal defeated most of Raiser's peerage by himself. I need to understand how each of them fights to plan effective tactics and counterattacks."

"Whaaaat?!" Issei's mouth hung open, "H-He defeated all of them by _himself?!_ Is he really _that_ strong?!"

Rias bit her lower lip, contemplating carefully her next answer, "… He left Raiser shell-shocked and traumatized after the time they'd fought. Right now, he's in the highest tier of High-class. I sometimes doubt he and Sairaorg are from our generation…"

"To give you a scale, his power equals or surpasses that of Rias' cousin, Sairaorg," Sona added afterward, "If the Strongest Youth is a 'battle maniac', then Vice-Principal is a 'training maniac'."

"Sairaorg…" Issei repeated the name a few times and did a double-take, "Sairaorg is the man that had visited you before we went to train for our first Rating Game… right?"

"Yes," Rias sighed before flashing a charming smile that made Issei blush a little, "but don't worry about the Vice-Principal. While he certainly deserves a spot on the gathering… he wasn't invited."

He peeked down at the back of his palm with mixed emotions. Even so, he couldn't help but be impressed by the limited information that both heiresses had distributed. To think it took them many sacrifices and time to defeat Raiser on their first Rating Game. It made him happy that they were victorious, but it wasn't a secured win, the risk of losing was lingering in their minds and they were almost imprisoned by such negative thoughts.

He wished he could have helped more during the match, especially when they had discovered that his Sacred Gear wasn't a mere Twice Critical, but one of the thirteen Longinus that housed one of the Heavenly Dragons. Gasper was the MVP throughout the bout.

His self-esteem decreased once he'd pictured the Vice-Principal defeating singlehandedly Raiser and his servants. He'd sell his soul just to be him for one day, to walk in those shoes instead of his own. To envision what's to be powerful and ensure victory without screw-ups. To keep President safe.

Issei finally looked up with determination, his strong gaze fixated over the asleep Yuuto, "Hey, Prince Charming, wake up fast, alright? President needs us more than ever. We gotta do our best in the Youth Gathering to represent the Gremory Clan!"

To his surprise, Koneko shared the same sentiment, "Yes… he's right. Please, wake up soon. We miss you."

The stoic girl couldn't help but smile lightly, "You have good servants, Rias."

Rias couldn't agree more.

.

* * *

.

"What do you want?"

"It's been a while and It'd be a joy to catch up with you but I'm here for different matters. My Lord is interested in forming an alliance with you."

"As if we would accept working with the cowards of Khaos Brigade, go back and scurry to your shadows like the filthy rats you each are. We got this from here."

"Is that so? You think any of you stand a chance against that poor imitation of Lucifer?"

"My agent already told us their next move and we formulated an efficient plan. The _true_ Maous will reclaim the throne of the Underworld that was once unrightfully stolen by the Anti-Maou Faction, regardless if the citizens are against it."

"Get off your high horse already. Just because he prefers to solve everything peacefully, my… _brother-in-law_ can be troublesome once he gets serious — even the snakes of Ouroboros won't change the outcome."

"Do not speak ill of our strength. We don't need the assistance of that pathetic excuse that you adore _so much_ placing on a pedestal."

"I prefer if you stopped insulting my Lord and start showing him the respect he deserves."

"Respect? It was because of him our golden age crumbled to ashes! Thanks to him, we lost control of the Underworld millennia ago! He's hidden himself and did not participate in a battle that warped the Underworld!"

"My Lord wasn't in good health back then."

"Deceit! Pure lies! The pathetic excuse Rizevim came up with was being disinterested in governing the Underworld with the other Satan Houses! Shoving all the responsibility on the shoulders of my _Housecarl!"_

…

"… You don't like me. You don't like my Lord either. You have no reason to like us. Not at all. But you don't have to like us to achieve the results you desire."

"You're unbelievable. What the likes of you can offer us, the True Satan Faction, to change our minds?"

"What you are desperately striving for: a legion."

"Let me guess, your 'legion' are those Stray Magicians of the Nilrem Faction? Why would I recruit trash in my ranks? Those 'pitiful' magicians are nothing but expendable in the face of enemy fire — _meat-shields."_

"No. What I offer you are _pure_ Devils. A lot of them. Obeying every command of yours without raising any arguments."

"… the Lucifuge Clan truly has a lying tongue, don't they? I should yank it out with my own hands!"

"I promise you. Accept my offer and be victorious or die and be forgotten."

…

…

…

"… I'm listening."

.

* * *

 **.**

 **I brought this fic upon this cursed land on May 9 2017, we're now on June 9 2019, you know what that means right?**

 **I totally forgot the birthday of my ugly baby. I'm a good dad. If it wasn't by a PM that I received I would still be clueless, thank you (you know who I'm talking with.**

 **But as well it's the 2-year late anniversary of my fic. To think that I would be on this website and still writing this fic surprised me, especially when I noticed how much favorite and follows I have. I rarely say it because I'm shy, but thank you for the great support that you guys gave me since 2017.**

 **I'll continue writing this fic until we reach its end as a token of gratitude. Thankfully, I have everything planned for the future arcs, which, will be more with my plot telling rather than going with canon.**

 **Also, I'd like to apologize if this chapter seemed a bit bashing. I just got in the shoes of the characters and imagine them to say that.**

 **Moving on, next chapter is gonna be a calm before the storm and more lighthearted.**

 **Serafall is going to show up, that's all you need to know.**

 **BTW, for those who are curious, in my profile I have clues of Danhauser's future peerage members. All of them. Full peerage. As well as how many words I had written so far for the next chapter. If my profile, by no means, is not update for a long year. Then I'm ded.**

* * *

 **Life.4: The Archangel, Michael**


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